CIUICKSANDS 


THE  YOUNG   TRAIL  HUNTERS1   SERIES. 


CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS; 


OB,  THE 


VEEITABLE  ADVENTUEES  OF  HAL  AND  MED 
UPON  THE  PACIFIC  SLOPE. 


BY 

SAMUEL  WOODWORTH   COZZENS, 

AUTHOBOF  "THE  MARVELLOUS  COUNTRY,"  "THE  YOUNG  TRAIL  HUNTEBS," 

ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


BOSTON : 
LEE    AND    SHEPARD,    PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORK:  CHARLES  T.  DILLINGHAM. 

1877. 


.  13. 


COPYRIGHT. 
BY  LEE  AND  SHEPARD. 

1877. 


Electrotype*  and  Printed  by 

Rand,  Avery,  and  Company, 

7/7  Franklin  Street, 

Boston. 


Bancroft  Ubnury 


TO  YOUNG  AMEEIOA. 


THE  very  flattering  reception  that  has  been  accorded 
"The  Young  Trail  Hunters"  inclines  my  publishers  to 
the  belief  that  a  series,  of  which  the  present  constitutes 
the  second  volume,  will  meet  with  a  like  generous  welcome 
at  your  hands. 

I  have  therefore  prepared  for  your  kind  approbation, 
"  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS  ;  "  which  will  in  due  time  be 
followed  by  other  volumes,  narrating  some  of  the  haz- 
ardous adventures,  curious  experiences,  and  deadly  perils, 
encountered  by  Hal  and  Ned,  while  travelling  through 
that  first-civilized,  but  now  wildest,  portion  of  our  conti- 
nent, —  the  SILVER  LAND  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 

These  volumes  will  give  a  truthful  account  of  actual 
experiences  upon  the  road,  through  a  country,  the  greater 
portion  of  the  way  inhabited  only  by  hostile  savages,  and 
infested  by  wild  beasts,  yet  containing  old  cities,  teeming 
with  a  vast  population,  whose  strange  habits,  customs, 
and  peculiarities  have  for  centuries  furnished  a  fruitful 
theme  for  the  Spanish  historian,  poet  and  novelist. 

With  the  belief  that  the  series  will  prove  instructive,  as 
well  as  amusing  and  interesting,  I  offer  the  present  vol- 
ume for  your  friendly  consideration. 

THE  AUTHOR. 
3 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

The  Ranch.  —  Bears.  —  The  Trap.  —  How  we  made  it.  —  A  Bee- 
Tree.  —  "  Burnt  Honey  and  Bars."  —  Old  Jerry  explains.  — 
The  Dead  Log 11 

CHAPTER  IT. 

Hal  discourses  on  Bears.  —  Jerry's  Story  about  Grizzlies.  —  The 
Trap  is  sprung:  who  cau  tell  what's  in  it?  .  .  .  0  .  18 

CHAPTER  III. 

Ephraim  caught.  —  Patsey's  Tip-Out.  —  A  Rodeo  in  Contempla- 
tion. —The  Vaquero  and  his  Dress.  —  Splendid  Riders.  —The 
Gathering.  —  Branding  Cattle.  —  A  Faudango.  —  The  Result.  24 

CHAPTER  IV. 

A  New  Acquaintance.  —  Sile  Carter  and  Jerry.  —  A  Visit  to  the 
Trap.  —  The  Wild  Bulls.  —  Hal  and  Ned  turn  Vaqueros.  — 
The  Chase  and  a  Fall.  —A  Pony  gored.  —A  Suggestion,  and 
what  canie  of  it 31 

CHAPTER  V. 

A  Trip  suggested.  —  A  Hunt.  —  The  Result.  —  How  we  jerked 
our  Meat.  —  Organizing  a  Pack-Train.  —  A  Stampede.  —  On 
the  Road.  —  Hal  and  Ned  in  a  Fix.  —  Crossing  the  Quick- 
sands   39 

5 


6  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Old  Mission  of  San  Diego.  —  Olive-Trees.  —  How  we  made 
"Waterproof  Matches.  —  How  Sile  "got  ketched,"  and  how 
the  Grizzly  warmed  him.  —  Indians  coming  .  .  .  .47 

CHAPTER  VIL 

Indian  Visitors.  —  Digger  Manners.  —  A  Grasshopper  Hunt.  — 
A  Lame  Mule.  —  A  Visit  to  a  Pai  Ute  Camp.  —  Caged  Rattle- 
snakes. —  Poisoned  Arrows.  —  Cooking  in  a  Basket.  —  A  Diet 
of  Wasps.  —  Fishing 56 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Story  of  the  Wolves. —The  Ute  Medicine-Man.— The  In- 
cantation. —  The  Dance-House. —The  Black  Wolf  digs,  and 
what  he  found.  —  A  Surprise.  —  Indian  Jugglery.  — A  Won- 
derful Feat.  —  Spiritual  Mediums  65 

CHAPTER  IX. 

• 

The  Mystic  Rite.  —The  Wolf-Dance.  —A  Picture.  —Our  Return 
to  Carnp.  —  Hal  and  Ned.  —  Sile  explains  Medicine-Men.  — 
Who  and  What  they  are.  —  Indian  Skill  in  Shooting.  —  Hal's 
Offer. —Why  he  didn't  set  up  his  Hat 73 

CHAPTER  X. 

Dangerous  Shooting. — Revolvers  vs.  Arrows. — Hal's  Trial  of 
Skill.—  Comanche  shooting.— What  the  Great  Spirit  did.  — 
Our  Visitors'  Departure.  —  Vamose.  —  Getting  ready  for  a 
Start 82 

CHAPTER  XI. 

An  Old  California  Ranch.  —The  Proprietor  and  his  People.  — 
His  House.  — His  Possessions.  —  A  most  wonderful  Exhibi- 
tion of  Skill  with  the  Lasso.  —  Superior  Horsemanship.  — 
The  Don  says  it  is  Nothing.  —  Once  More  on  the  Road.  — 
Our  Trail  forks.  —  No-account  People.  —  Addios  ...  89 


CONTENTS.  7 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XH. 

Hal  discusses  the  Situation.  —  The  Mission  Indians.  —  Their 
probable  Number.  —  Hal  discourses  on  Grizzlies.  —  Sile's 
Advice.  —Hal  boasts.  —  Sile's  Hunt. —  His  Skill  in  Shoot- 
ing.—Three  Bullets  in  One  Hole. —The  Split  Shot.— Our 
Doubts.  —  Sile's  Success.  —  His  Promise 98 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Sile  goes  Deer-Hunting.  —Fresh  Meat  for  Supper.  — The  Prom- 
ise. —  Sile's  Story.  —  Down  in  Maine.  —  On  the  Mississippi. 
—  Trapping  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  —  Peter  A.  Sarpy.  — 
"  Early  to  Bed,  and  Early  to  Rise."  —The  Panther's  Cry.  — 
To  Bed 109 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  Suggestion.  — Hal  wants  a  Grizzly-Hunt. —  A  Surprise.  — Ned 
shoots  a  Cub.  —  Hal's  Explanations.  —  We  are  attacked  by 
a  Grizzly.  —  The  Boys  Return.  —  Why  they  left.  —  Sile's 
Query.— Two  Cubs 118 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Our  Conclusions. — Ned's  Statement.  —  A  Grizzly's  a  Grizzly, 
Big  or  Little.  —  How  to  Dress  Skins.  —  The  Process.  — 
Whose  Brains.  —  Which  shall  it  be  ?—  Sile's  Opinion.  —He 
thinks  Hal  ignorant  of  the  Subject  of  Tanning  .  .  .128 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Trappers  and  Trapping.  —  Ike  McKenzie  and  the  Silver  Fox.  — 
How  to  set  a  Fox-Trap.  —  Smoke  and  Lye.  —  The  Value  of 
Skins. —How  to  Manage  a  Pack-Train.  —  " 'Tend  to  yer 
own  Bizness  if  Yer  want  it  'tended  to." — Hal  doubts  Fox 
and  Geese 137 

CHAPTER  XVH. 

Sile  shoots  a  Deer.  —  Trapping.  —  How  Indian  Braves  become 
Warriors.  —  Description  of  the  Initiation,  by  an  Eye-Wit- 
ness.  —A  Terrible  Scene. —  The  Buffalo  Bull  Dance.  —The 
Medicine-Man.  —  "  It  does  a  Fellow  Good  tew  holler  when 
he  feels  like  it "  .  145 


8  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Brained  and  Packed.  —  Si le's  Stew.  —  An  Unexpected  Sight.— 
The  White  Horse  and  its  Rider.  —  We  shoot  a  Lion.  — A 
Search  and  Discovery.  —  "  Whar's  me  Hoorse  V  "  — Dennis 
Burke  and  his  Shillalah. —  A  "Purael"  and  what  came  of 
it.  —  A  Search  for  the  Horse,  a^nd  then  a  Search  for  Dennis. 
—  Camp 155 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Hunting  for  the  Lost— He  is  found.— Prefers  to  "walk  afoot." 
—  His  History.  —  "Ould  Maverick's  Ranch."  —  Ould  Sam. — 
"Ma'am  and  the  Gals." — We  move  Camp. —  "A  Califor- 
nia Buck."  — A  Boy  with  the  "Genii."  — Hal  and  Ned.  — 
The  Dispute.  —  "  You  hear  me  now  " 166 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Maverick  Family.  —Dipping.  —Music.— The  Shots.  —  "It's 
a  Grizzly."  —A  Rush  for  Camp.  —  The  Cinnamon  Bear,  and 
•who  shot  it? —  "And  you  aiinin'  at  the  Eye  of  the  Baste." 
—  Old  Sam's  Word.  —  We  make  a  Trade.  —  Who  was 
scared? .175 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A  Camp  in  a  Big  Tree.  —  Sile's  Cinnamon  Bear  Story. —How 
Josh  Curtis  fetched  Fresh  Meat  for  Breakfast  into  Camp.  — 
Treed  by  a  Bear.  — A  Stampede.  —  "Moighty  Poor  Luck."  — 
Among  the  Quicksands.  —  A  Dangerous  Crossing.  —  Bad 
Luck.  —  A  New  Ford.  —  Hal  in  more  Trouble  .  188 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

We  buy  a  New  Horse. —  Mr.  Hitchcock. —The  Big  Trees.— 
What  the  Boys  thought.  — A  New  England  Home.  — Hal's 
Choice.  —  How  he  broke  his  Horse.  —Pluck  and  Grit.  —  Hal 
Victorious.  —  Congratulations.  —  On  the  Road  once  more  .  199 


CONTENTS.  9 


CHAPTER  XXm. 

Hal's  Horse.  —  A  Beautiful  Valley.  —  Ned  and  I  take  a  Tramp. 

—  The  Lion  and  the  Grizzly.— A  Terrific  Fight. —  It  con- 
tinues all  the  Afternoon.  —  We  take  no  Note  of  Time.— 
Darkness.  —  What  shall  we  do  ?  —  A  Sleep  and  a  Terrible 
Awaking 211 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Wolves.  — What  \ve  did.  —  Our  Fire  gone.  — Our  Last  Resource. 

—  Ned  does  his  Share.  —  A  Very  Unpleasant  Situation.  —  A 
Concert.  —  Daylight.  —  I  risk  a  Shot.  —  Its  Effect.  —  We 
start  for  Camp.  —  A  Rifle-shot.  —  What  it  said.  —  Sile.  — 
Camp  at  Last 224 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Congratulations. — A  Visit  to  the  Scene  of  our  Adventure. — 
What  we  found.  —More  Game.  —We  return  to  Camp.— 
On  the  Road.  —  Arrival  at  New  Almaden. — What  we  saw. 

—  Visit  to  the  Furnaces.  —  How  the  Ore  is  treated.  —  Some- 
thing about  Quicksilver 234 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

What  we  saw.  —  Description  of  the  Manner  of  reducing  the 
Ore.  —  Its  Specific  Gravity.  —  Interesting  Experiments.  — 
Hal  and  Ned  delighted.  —A  Fine  Entertainment.  —  Visit  to 
the  Mines.  — How  they  are  worked.  —  What  we  saw  Under- 
ground. —  Return  to  Camp.  —  What  Sile  said  .  .  .  .246 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Hal  and  Ned  discuss  a  Point.  —  The  two  Indian  Chiefs.  —  A 
Question.  —  Shall  we  go  or  stay  ?  —  The  Decision.  —  Hal  ob- 
jects. —  The  Stray  Horse.  —  A  Long  Tramp.  —  A  Proposi- 
tion. —  Hal  apologizes 259 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Early  Rising.  —Morning  the  best  Time  for  Game.  —The  Ante- 
lope. — The  Boys'  Surprise.  — Sile  tries  his  Luck.  —  Speckled 
Beauties  and  Red  Flannel.  —  Hal  the  Doubter.  —  A  Chal- 
lenge. —  The  First  Shot  268 


10  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Our  Game.  —We  call  the  Boys.  —In  Camp.  —Lost.  —  The  Effect 
of  a  Blunderbuss. —A  Sleepless  Night. —  On  the  Trail.— 
The  little  Lake. —The  Cauip-Fire.  —  The  Gentleman  from 
Pike. —Hal  Discourses. —Found.  — "Took  Sick."— Why 
Hal  refused  to  guide  us  in 280 

XXX. 

The  Proofs.  — Hal's  Explanation.  —  How  to  cook  Grouse.  —  On 
the  Road.  —  Cain  p.  —  Dennis  Burke  again. —  "The  Ould 
Man's  in  the  Hurry."  —  Old  Maverick's  Ranch.  —  The  Cattle. 
—  Senor  Escarrito.  —  California  as  it  was.  —  The  Contrast 
under  American  Rule.  —  Ready  for  a  Start  at  Last  .  .  294 

XXXI. 

The  Morning  after.  —  On  the  Road. —Ned's  Request.  —  What 
came  of  a  Red  Blanket.  —  An  exciting  Chase.  —A  wonder- 
ful Feat. — Home  again. — Old  Jerry's  Welcome. — A  New 
Project.  —What  Jerry  thinks.  —Truth  stranger  than  Fiction. 
—Adieu  .  .  306 


CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  RANCH.  BEARS.  THE  TRAP.  HOW  WE  MADE 

IT. A  BEE-TREE.  "  BURNT  HONEY  AND   BARS." 

OLD  JERRY  EXPLAINS.  THE  DEAD  LOG. 

"  TTERE  we  are  at  last,  youngsters,  settled  on  as 
J--IL  pretty  a  ranch  as  any  man  ever  seed,"  said 
old  Jerry  one  beautiful  morning  in  March,  a  few 
days  after  we  were  fairly  established  in  our  new 
home  on  the  Pacific  Slope  ;  "  pretty  as  a  picter,  and 
no  mistake,"  continued  the  old  man,  as  his  eyes 
fondly  lingered  on  the  beautiful  hills  and  valleys 
and  forests  that  stretched  far  away  towards  the  dis- 
tant line  of  blue  mountains  that  reared  their  lofty 
heads  to  the  north  and  east:  "  'tain't  half  stocked 
though ;  and  if  we  run  it  as  we  ought  to,  some  of 
us  hev  got  ter  start  out  and  buy  five  or  six  hundred 
head.  Who's  the  one  to  go  ?  " 

44  Let's  all  go ! "  exclaimed  Hal  and  Ned  in  the 
same  breath. 

11 


12  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  I  shall  have  something  to  say  about  that,"  in- 
terrupted I:  "some  one  must  stay  behind  to  look 
after  the  stock  we  have  now,  or  we  sha'n't  have  that 
long.  I  found  the  remains  of  two  calves  this  morn- 
ing out  near  the  woods,  that  had  evidently  been 
killed  by  bears  last  night ;  if  they  are  plenty  in  this 
vicinity,  we  must  devise  some  means  of  getting  rid 
of  them  before  we  venture  to  bring  more  stock  on 
to  the  ranch." 

"  Let's  go  for  the  bears,  then,"  shouted  Hal : 
"  that'll  be  rare  fun." 

"  Did  you  see  many  tracks  'bout  ?  "  inquired  Jerry. 

"  Plenty  of  them,  and  the  largest  I  ever  saw," 
was  my  reply. 

u  I  reckon  I'd  better  saddle  up  and  ride  down  and 
take  a  look  at  'em.  You  left  every  thing  just  as 
you  found  it,  didn't  yer?  " 

I  replied  that  I  disturbed  nothing ;  and  in  a  short 
time  we  were  all  on  our  way  to  a  distant  part  of 
the  ranch,  where  I  had  that  morning  discovered  the 
traces  of  our  unwelcome  visitors. 

"  We  ought  to  get  the  stock  that  belongs  to  the 
ranch  together,  and  see  if  it's  properly  branded, 
the  very  first  thing  we  do ;  because,  in  this  country, 
the  brand  is  the  only  evidence  of  ownership  recog- 
nized," said  I  as  we  rode  along. 

"  Of  course  the  young  critters  ain't  marked ;  but 
they'll  keep  with  their  mothers,  and  we  kin  tell 
'em  that  way,"  suggested  Jerry ;  a  and,  as  you  say, 
we  must  have  'em  hunted  up,  and  driven  into  the 


BEAES.  13 

coral  arid  branded,  the  very  first  thing  we   do.     I 
reckon  we'll  start  the  vaqueros  out  to-morrow." 

"  I'll  go  with  'em,"  declared  Hal :  "  I  can  help 
drive  'em  up." 

"  You  ! "  exclaimed  Jerry.  "  What  kind  of  a 
show  do  you  s'pose  you'd  make  among  a  lot  of 
them  fellers  ?  You  couldn't  stan'  it  ter  ride  a  day 
with  'em,  much  less  four  or  five.  You'd  better  stay 
to  home  and  take  care  of  yourself,  instead  of  run- 
nin'  over  the  country  with  a  lot  of  harum-scarum 
riders,  huntin'  cattle." 

"  You  never  think  we  boys  can  do  any  thing," 
replied  Hal;  "but  I  want  you  to  understand  that 
I'm  not  afraid  to  ride  with  any  of  'em." 

"  I  don't  s'pose  you  be,"  replied  Jerry ;  "but,  if 
you  knowed  more,  yer  would  be  :  them  fellers  jest 
live  in  the  saddle,  and  ain't  comfer'ble  out  of  it. 
You've  got  a  mighty  sight  to  larn  afore  you  kin 
hunt  cattle,  or  jack-rabbits  fer  that  matter." 

"  Halloa !  what's  this  ?  "  said  Ned,  reining  in  his 
pony,  and  pointing  to  a  deep  impression  in  the  soft 
earth. 

"That!"  exclaimed  Jerry.  "Why,  it's  a  bar's 
track  ;  and,  as  sure  as  you're  a  livin'  boy,  it's  a 
grizzly's;  nothin'  on  this  airth  but  a  grizzly  ever 
made  thet  track.  Did  the  ones  you  see  this  mornin' 
look  like  that?" 

"  I  should  say  they  were  the  same,"  was  my  reply. 

"  Then  we've  got  some  thin'  ter  do  afore  we  buy 
any  more  stock,"  replied  Jerry ;  "  for  if  grizzlies  is 


14  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

'round  we  must  git  shet  of  'em,  or  we  sha'n't  hev 
any  stock." 

"  But  ain't  grizzlies  very  dangerous  ?  "  inquired 
Ned. 

"  The  most  so  of  any  critter  in  the  mountains," 
replied  Jerry:  "  they  don't  hev  no  kin'  er  sense,  and 
lied  jest  as  soon  tackle  a  buffalo  or  a  man  as  a  calf, 
specially  if  they're  wounded:  they  git  desprit  then." 

"  Well,  here  we  are !  "  exclaimed  I.  "  You  can 
soon  tell,  for  there's  one  of  the  carcasses,  and  the 
other's  just  beyond  it." 

Upon  reaching  the  spot,  Jerry  at  once  declared 
that  we  had  had  a  visit  from  "  old  Ephraim,  sure." 

"  Who's  old  Ephraim  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  It's  the  name  that  old  trappers  hev  giv'  to  ther 
grizzly,"  explained  Jerry. 

"  There's  no  question  about  their  being  grizzly 
tracks,  is  there,  Jerry?"  inquired  I. 

"  The  size  on  'em  would  settle  that,  if  nothin'  else 
did.  Why,  this  one's  a  foot  and  a  half  long  if  it's 
an  inch.  Yes,  and  there's  bin  more'n  one  here  too," 
declared  Jerry,  as  he  slowly  followed  the  track  for 
some  distance  into  the  forest. 

He  soon  returned,  however,  saying,  "  I  reckon  the 
best  thing  for  us  ter  do  is  to  set  a  trap  for  these  fel- 
lers. We  can't  spend  the  time  ter  go  on  a  hunt  for 
'em,  and  we  shall  be  more  likely  to  ketch  'em  in  a 
trap  any  way.  What  d'ye  say,  youngsters  ?  shall  we 
trap  'em,  or  resk  a  hunt  ?  " 

"Oh,  let's  trap  'em!  that'll  be  real  fun,"  ex- 
claimed Ned. 


THE  TRAP.  15 

"  But  I  say  hunt  'em ;  it'll  be  just  splendid  to  see 
one  of  the  great  creatures  coming  right  towards 
you,  and  when  you  fire  see  him  drop,  and  then  have 
every  one  say,  4  That's  the  boy  that  killed  a  grizzly.' 
It's  mean  to  talk  about  trapping  'em,"  said  Hal. 

44  Wai,  mean  or  not,  I  ain't  a-goin'  to  run  any  resk 
huntin'  grizzlies  with  sich  hunters  as  we've  got  on 
this  ranch :  that's  sartin,"  replied  Jerry.  "  I'd  ruther 
trap  a  grizzly  than  resk  a  shot  at  one,  any  time.  So 
we'll  build  a  trap ,  and  if  you  boys'll  ride  back  to  the 
ranch,  and  fetch  a  couple  of  axes  and  a  spade,  the  judge 
and  me  '11  make  the  trap ;  and  if  you  want  ter  hunt, 
why,  you  kin  hunt  a  bee-tree  while  we're  doin'  it." 

44  What  do  you  want  of  a  bee-tree  ?  "  inquired 
Hal. 

44  Why,  we  want  the  honey  to  bait  our  trap  with. 
Thar  ain't  nothin'll  ketch  bars  like  burnt  honey." 

44 1  wish  you'd  let  us  help  you  build  the  trap," 
remarked  Ned. 

44  Well,  don't  stan'  there  talkin'  all  day :  go  and 
git  the  axes,  and  be  as  quick  as  you  kin,  and  you 
may  help  when  you  git  back,  if  you  want  ter." 

While  the  boys  were  gone  for  the  tools,  Jerry 
selected  a  suitable  place  for  the  trap,  and  immediately 
upon  their  return  set  them  to  work  cutting  a  number 
of  straight  poles  about  three  inches  in  diameter : 
these  were  driven  firmly  into  the  ground  side  by 
side,  and  when  we  had  finished  we  had  a  pen  three 
feet  in  width,  six  feet  in  length,  and  five  feet  high : 
we  then  covered  the  top  with  cross-pieces,  to  prevent 
the  bait  from  being  stolen  from  above. 


16  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

Cutting  a  large  log  about  nine  inches  in  diameter, 
we  rolled  it  up  against  the  front  of  the  pen,  confin- 
ing it  directly  on  a  line  with  the  end  of  the  enclo- 
sure by  two  upright  posts,  firmly  set  in  the  ground, 
upon  each  side  of  it. 

We  next  procured  the  trunk  of  a  tree  of  the  same 
diameter,  about  twenty  feet  in  length;  and  after 
getting  it  in  place  upon  the  log,  Jerry  declared 
that  we  could  do  no  more  until  we  had  discovered 
a  bee-tree,  and  procured  a  quantity  of  honeycomb 
for  bait. 

Upon  our  return  to  the  ranch,  the  boys,  under 
Jerry's  instruction,  placed  some  slightly  moistened 
sugar  upon  plates,  a  little  distance  from  the  house : 
this  in  a  short  time  attracted  the  attention  of  two 
or  three  bees,  who,  after  greedily  sipping  the  sweets 
so  generously  provided  for  them,  rose  into  the  air, 
and  flew  away. 

That  these  were  explorers  was  evident ;  for  in  a 
short  time  hundreds  of  their  companions  made  their 
appearance,  and  very  soon  a  regular  line  of  commu- 
nication through  the  air  was  established  between  the 
ranch  and  their  hive. 

This  soon  became  a  highway,  so  clearly  defined 
that  we  were  able  to  mount  our  horses,  and  with 
but  slight  inconvenience  follow  it  to  their  hive  in  the 
trunk  of  a  decayed  redwood  near  the  edge  of  the 
forest. 

Axes  were  sent  for,  and  the  tree  felled  ;  when 
it  struck  the  ground  the  trunk  split,  displaying  an 


THE  DEAD-LOG.  17 

immense  quantity  of  splendid  honey  in  the  comb,  as 
clear  and  limpid  as  water. 

Hal  and  Ned  at  first  were  unwilling  to  approach 
the  treasure,  for  fear  of  being  stung  by  the  bees,  who 
crawled  and  flew  about  their  ruined  home  in  a  dazed 
and  lazy  manner,  as  though  vainly  trying  to  realize 
the  misfortune  that  had  so  suddenly  overtaken  their 
once  busy  hive. 

A  messenger  was  despatched  to  the  ranch,  and  in 
a  very  short  time  every  one  that  could  be  spared  was 
on  the  ground  with  pails,  pans,  tubs,  and  jars,  in  fact, 
with  any  thing  that  would  hold  the  limpid  sweet- 
ness. These  were  soon  filled ;  and  then  Jerry  selected 
a  suitable  piece  of  the  comb,  and,  having  partially 
roasted  it,  proceeded  to  smear  a  piece  of  meat  with 
it :  this  he  fastened  to  a  pole  at  the  back  of  the  pen, 
so  arranged  that,  in  order  to  reach  it,  "  Ephraim  " 
must  step  upon  a  piece  of  board  so  contrived  that 
the  pressure  of  his  foot  would  dislodge  the  stick  that 
supported  the  heavy  log,  precipitating  it  upon  the 
creature's  back  in  such  a  manner  as  to  crush  him  to 
the  earth,  thus  dislocating  his  spine. 

After  weighting  the  "  dead-log  "  by  placing  heavy 
timbers  against  the  elevated  end,  the  trap  was  pro- 
nounced ready  for  any  visitor. 


CHAPTER   H. 

HAL  DISCOURSES  ON  BEARS. JERRY'S  STORY  ABOUT  GRIZ- 
ZLIES.—  THE  TRAP  is  SPRUNG:  WHO  CAN  TELL  WHAT'S 
IN  IT? 

you  suppose  any  bear  will  deliberately  walk 
into  that  thing  ?  "  inquired  Hal  in  a  tone  of  ill- 
disguised  contempt,  after  surveying  for  a  moment 
the  rather  clumsy-looking  structure.  "  Why,  any 
creature  would  know  it  was  some  kind  of  a  trap,  and 
steer  clear  of  it,  instead  of  going  into  it." 

"  P'raps  bars  ain't  so  smart  as  you  be,"  remarked 
Jerry. 

44  Well,  if  they  have  half  the  sense  they  have  credit 
for,  one  '11  never  risk  himself  in  such  a  thing  as  that ; 
besides,  I  don't  see  how  on  earth  it's  going  to  kill 
one,  if  he  should  walk  into  it." 

"  The  proof  of  the  puddin'  is  the  eatin'  of  it,"  said 
Jerry.  "  I've  know'd  many  a  bar  ketched  in  sich  a 
trap  as  that ;  and  it's  a  fact,  that  one  on  em'll  resk 
his  life  any  time  for  a  little  burnt  honey :  the  scent 
of  it'll  bring  him  a  long  ways  ;  and  after  he's  got 
whar  'tis,  he  can't  git  it  onless  he  walks  under  that 
log ;  and  when  he  puts  his  foot  on  ter  that  board,  it 

18 


JERKY'S  STORY  ABOUT  GRIZZLIES.  19 

nat'rally  sinks,  and  that  raises  up  the  pole  with  the 
bait  on  at  the  other  end  er  the  trap.  That  forces 
this  stick  outer  that  notch,  and  lets  the  heavy  log 
on  to  him  ;  and  it  stan's  ter  reason,  sich  a  weight  as 
that'll  break  any  critter's  back." 

"  But,  supposing  it  shouldn't  work  as  you  expect 
it  to,"  suggested  Ned :  "  what  shall  we  do  then  ?  " 

"  It  will  work,"  confidently  asserted  Jerry  ;  "  but, 
if  it  shouldn't,  we'll  rig  a  gun-trap  :  that'll  do  it, 
sartin." 

As  there  was  nothing  further  to  be  done,  we  re- 
turned to  the  ranch,  to  find  the  men  all  feasting  on 
the  bountiful  supply  of  sweets  secured  from  the  bee- 
tree. 

During  the  evening  the  conversation  naturally 
enough  turned  upon  grizzlies ;  and  Ned  inquired  of 
Jerry,  why  he  so  much  dreaded  a  hunt  after  them. 

"  'Cause  they're  the  ugliest  critters  in  the  world, 
'specially  if  you  git  'em  riled.  'Tain't  every  man  that 
kin  hit  a  grizzly  in  jest  the  right  place  ;  and  if  you 
don't,  the  chances  are  nine  out  er  ten,  he'll  git  yer, 
sure." 

"  Have  you  ever  had  much  experience  hunting 
them,  Jerry?  "  inquired  I. 

"  No,  sir ;  and  I  don't  want  much,  either,"  replied 
he.  "  When  I  first  come  out  inter  this  country,  in 
'53,  me'n  Dave  Woodman  set  out  for  the  diggings 
together.  We  bought  a  couple  of  mules,  loaded  ^'em 
with  provisions,  and  started  on  a  prospectin'  tour. 
We  made  putty  good  wages  washin'  for  a  time  ;  but 


20  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

got  sick  er  that,  and  allowed  to  go  up  inter  the 
mountains  looking  for  quartz-leads.  One  day,  while 
we  was  workin'  along  the  side  of  a  steep  hill,  we 
come  suddenly  on  to  the  sign  of  a  grizzly,  as  fresh  as 
that  'ere  one  we  see  this  mornin.' 

"  Well,  Dave  was  for  himtin'  him  at  once.  He  said 
he  never  could  let  sich  a  chance  to  git  a  shot  at  a 
grizzly  go  by,  as  that  was  ;  so  I  went  with  him,  of 
course. 

"  The  sign  led  us  right  into  the  thick  underbrush ; 
for  a  bar  not  only  gits  the  shade  thar,  but  he  gits  his 
berries  as  well." 

"  Do  grizzlies  eat  berries  ?  "  inquired  Ned  in  a  tone 
of  astonishment. 

"  Certing  they  do ;  it's  their  reg'lar  food.  They're 
mighty  fond  of  wild  currants,  choke-berries,  pinon 
nuts,  and  sich  like.  I've  seed  where  they've  broke 
off  limbs  er  cherry-trees  as  big  as  my  leg,  for  the 
sake  er  gittin'  the  cherries.  But,  as  I  was  sayin',  the 
sign  led  right  inter  the  thick  underbrush,  and  we 
follered  in  arter  it. 

"  Dave  was  in  the  lead  ;  and  pretty  soon  arter  we 
got  in,  I  heerd  a  crash  and  a  sort  of  wheezy  growl, 
and  then  Dave  fired.  I  took  a  look,  and  seed  some- 
thin'  as  big  as  a  ox,  standin'  on  his  hind-legs,  with 
his  mouth  open  like  a  thirsty  dog,  and  workin'  his- 
self  up  and  down  just  like  he'd  got  the  colic." 

"  What  made  him  do  that?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  Why,  I  s'pose  he  didn't  like  the  pill  Dave  had 
just  giv'  him,"  chuckled  Jerry, 


JERRY'S  STORY  ABOUT  GRIZZLIES.  21 

"  The  next  minit  he  dropped  onto  all  fours  again, 
and  made  a  rush  for  Dave,  who  was  reloadin'  his 
rifle." 

"  Why  didn't  you  fire  at  him?  That  would  have 
been  the  first  thing  J  should  have  done,"  remarked 
Hal. 

" 1  s'pose  so,"  sneered  Jerry ;  "  but  you  see  /was 
scart,  and  didn't  even  remember  that  I  hed  a  rifle ; 
and  before  I  know'd  it  Dave  was  down,  and  the  blood 
runnm'  a  stream.  One  blow  from  old  Ephraim's 
paw  hed  cleaned  the  flesh  all  off  er  one  side  of  the 
poor  feller's  face,  besides  breakin'  his  jaw. 

"Jest  then  I  happened  to  think,  and  fired  at  him; 
that  started  him  arter  me,  but  I  shinned  up  a  little 
tree,  and  got  out  er  his  way ;  and  putty  soon  he  dis- 
appeared in  the  underbrush  again. 

"  Yer  see,  a  grizzly'll  always  leave  his  game,  for 
any  thing  else  that  disturbs  him.  I  didn't  know 
that  then,  or  I  should  'a'  took  care  not  to  hev  got  so 
near  the  critter  afore  I  fired." 

"  Can't  grizzlies  climb  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  Not  arter  they're  growed,"  replied  Jerry : 
"  they're  too  clumsy." 

"  Do  you  suppose  you  hit  him  when  you  fired  ?  " 
asked  Hal. 

"  I  reckon  so.  I  aimed  at  his  head,  for  I  didn't 
know  then  that  the  bones  of  a  grizzly's  head  are  sort 
of  roundin',  and  the  ball  is  mighty  apt  to  glance  off. 
There  ain't  but  three  places  ter  aim  at  in  huntin' 
grizzlies :  one's  just  back  of  the  ear,  and  his  spine, 


22  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

and  the  heart ;  and  if  yer  don't  hit  him  in  one  on 
'em,  you'll  have  trouble  with  him,  sartin." 

44  What  became  of  Dave  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  Dave  ?  Why,  I  carried  him  down  to  the  nearest 
settlement,  and  he  finally  got  well ;  but  he  was  terri- 
bly disfigred,  besides  losin'  an  eye  in  the  scrim- 
mage. 

"  Yer  see,  boys,  my  first  introduction  to  old  Eph- 
raim  wasn't  kalculated  to  encourage  me  in  huntin' 
'em  much ;  and  of  late  years  my  hand's  got  pretty 
well  out  with  shootin',  so  I'd  a  heap  rather  take 
my  chances  at  trappin'  than  huntin'. 

"Now,  if  you're  goin'  out  to  the  trap  with  me 
in  the  mornin',  boys,  you'd  better  go  to  bed  now, 
and  let  me  hev  a  smoke  in  peace  ;  and  send  Juan 
in,  'cause  I  want  to  see  him  'bout  havin'  the  cattle 
brought  up  for  brandin'." 

Thus  dismissed,  the  boys  left  us,  declaring,  how- 
ever, that  they  should  be  out  to  the  trap  long  before 
either  Jerry  or  myself  were  stirring  in  the  morning. 
Nor  had  the  sun  shown  himself  above  the  horizon 
the  following  day,  when  I  heard  them  discussing, 
while  saddling  their  ponies  for  a  visit  to  it,  the 
chances  of  finding  the  trap  occupied. 

They  soon  returned  at  full  speed,  each  endeavor- 
ing to  be  the  first  one  in,  and  could  hardly  find 
breath  to  inform  us  that  we  had  "caught  some- 
thing," though  both  agreed  that  it  looked  more  like 
an  ox  than  a  bear. 

"  How  near 'd  yer  go  to  it,  youngster  ?"  inquired 
Jerry  of  Hal. 


THE   TRAP   IS    SPRUNG.  23 

"  Oh  !  only  near  enough  to  see  it,"  was  the  reply. 

"  You  didn't  go  near  enuff  ter  see  what  'twas 
though,  did  yer  ?  " 

"  No :  because  we  didn't  know  but  it  might  be 
alive." 

44  Ha,  ha,  ha !  "  laughed  Jerry.  "  You're  a  nice 
one  ter  hunt  grizzlies,  you  are.  I  reckon  you'd 
nat'rally  take  to  trappin'  like  myself,  arter  all.  It's 
a  heap  safer." 

44  But  I  wasn't  afraid,"  declared  Hal ;  44  only  I 
didn't  want  to  go  any  nearer  before  you  came  out." 

44  Oh !  I  see,"  was  the  reply:  "  well,  we'll  git  some 
breakfast,  and  then  ride  out  and  find  what  we  have 
got." 


CHAPTER  III. 

EPHRAIM     CAUGHT.  PATSEY's     TIP-OUT.  A     RODEO     IN 

CONTEMPLATION.  THE     VAQUERO    AND      HIS      DRESS. 

SPLENDID  RIDERS.  THE    GATHERING. BRANDING   CAT- 
TLE.   A   FANDANGO. THE    RESULT. 

"OREAKFAST  over,  we  immediately  set  out  to 
J-J  examine  the  game,  which  proved  to  be  an  enor- 
mous grizzly  quite  dead  ;  the  log  having  fallen  across 
his  back  in  such  a  manner  as  to  completely  separate 
the  vertebrae  of  the  spine. 

After  removing  the  log,  it  required  our  joint  exer- 
tions to  draw  old  Ephraim  from  out  the  trap ;  nor 
was  it  until  he  lay  stretched  upon  the  grass  before 
us,  that  we  realized  the  size  of  the  enormous  crea- 
ture. 

He  was  nearly  eight  feet  in  length,  and  girt  more 
than  six  around  the  body,  which  was  covered  with 
a  thick  coat  of  a  dirty  brown  color,  specked  with 
gray,  the  legs  being  much  darker  than  the  other 
portions ;  his  feet  were  quite  sixteen  inches  in 
length,  and  armed  with  claws  nearly  five  inches  long. 
Even  old  Jerry  was  forced  to  admit  that  he  had 

24 


EPHRAIM   CAUGHT.  25 

seldom  seen  a  larger  one  ;  and  turning  to  Hal,  with 
ill-concealed  triumph  in  his  voice  he  said,  — 

"  Wai,  youngster,  what  d'ye  think  'bout  trappin* 
bars  now  ?  Yer  see  they  ain't  so  smart  as  you  be, 
arter  all :  they're  fond  of  burnt  honey  though,  and 
will  venter  arter  it.  You'd  better  ride  back,  and 
have  Patsey  hitch  a  pair  of  mules  afore  the  wagon, 
and  come  after  the  critter ;  and  stay  and  come  with 
him,  or  he'll  never  git  here  without  some  outra- 
geous cuttm'-up  of  some  kind." 

Hal  at  once  mounted  his  pony,  and  was  off,  while 
Ned,  seating  himself  upon  the  carcass  of  the  bear, 
said,  — 

"  I'd  like  to  see  this  old  fellow  weighed.  Why, 
he's  as  big  as  my  pony,  and  must  weigh  nearly  a 
thousand  pounds.  See  what  immense  paws  he's  got. 
I  believe  a  blow  from  one  of  'em  would  kill  a  man." 

"  Yes,  or  a  ox  either,"  declared  Jerry.  "  I've 
often  knowd  of  their  attackin'  and  killin'  a  buffalo 
on  the  plains.  But  while  we  are  waitin'  here,  I 
reckon  we  may  as  well  set  the  trap  again.  Maybe 
we  shall  get  another,  one  of  these  fine  nights,  'cause 
there  ain't  nothin'  like  burnt  honey  for  ketchin' 
bars." 

The  trap  had  been  set  some  time,  and  we  were 
waiting  patiently  for  Patsey  and  Hal  to  make  their 
appearance,  when  our  attention  was  arrested  by  the 
sight  of  a  pair  of  mules,  with  the  front  wheels  of  a 
wagon,  dashing  wildly  over  the  plains. 

"  There  !  I  told  you  that  feller  Patsey'd  git  into 


26  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

some  kind  of  a  scrape  :  there  goes  them  mules,"  said 
Jerry.  "  If  them  boys  hev  broke  their  necks  I  sha'n't 
care  much  ;  "  and  the  next  moment  he  was  in  the 
saddle,  scouring  away  over  the  plains  in  search  of 
the  missing  boys,  whom  he  found  after  a  time,  with 
the  overturned  wagon-body,  in  the  midst  of  a  dense 
mesquite  chaparral,  but  little  the  worse  for  their 
tip-out,  save  a  few  scratches  and  torn  clothes. 

It  appeared  that  shortly  after  leaving  the  ranch, 
a  dispute  had  arisen  between  them,  as  to  which 
should  have  the  honor  of  driving  the  wagon-load  of 
bear-meat  to  the  house  ;  and,  while  Hal  was  attempt- 
ing to  deprive  Patsey  of  the  reins,  the  mules  became 
frightened,  and  overturned  the  wagon,  making  off 
with  the  fore-wheels. 

The  animals  secured,  they  were  once  more  put 
before  the  wagon  ;  and  by  the  exercise  of  our  united 
strength  the  carcass  was  loaded  and  driven  home, 
escorted  by  Jerry,  Ned,  and  myself,  on  horseback. 

It  weighed  nearly  eight  hundred  pounds ;  and  the 
flesh  lasted  us  many  days,  enabling  us  to  thoroughly 
test  the  somewhat  toothsome  frontier  viand  of  "  bear- 
meat  and  honey." 

During  the  afternoon  Juan  was  despatched  to  visit 
the  neighboring  ranches,  to  ascertain  how  many  pro- 
prietors would  join  us  in  hunting  up  the  cattle,  and 
driving  them  in  to  be  branded.  This  is  done  once 
in  every  year,  when  the  ranch-owners  assemble  at 
the  coral,1  each  selecting  his  own  cattle  from  the 
herds  driven  in. 

i  Called  by  the  old  Spaniards  a  rodeo. 


A  RODEO   IN  CONTEMPLATION.  27 

Before  night  more  than  a  dozen  young  fellows, 
well  mounted  and  equipped,  had  volunteered  for  the 
sport.  Although  these  men  necessarily  are  obliged  to 
undergo  great  hardships  and  fatigue  in  the  chase,  it  is" 
regarded  as  sport,  since  it  not  only  enables  them  to 
display  their  superior  horsemanship,  but  at  the  same 
time  their  dexterity  with  the  lasso  as  well  as  the 
quality  of  their  favorite  steeds. 

The  dress  of  the  vaquero  generally  consists  of  a  stiff 
broad-brimmed  hat,  securely  fastened  under  the  chin ; 
a  loose  short  jacket,  with  pants  of  buckskin  ;  around 
the  knee  is  fastened  a  square  piece  of  stout  leather 
which  protects  the  leg  as  well  from  the  attacks  of 
cattle  as  from  the  falls  sometimes  received  in  pursu- 
ing them ;  in  one  of  these  leggings  he  always  carries 
his  knife,  which  with  his  spurs,  serape  or  blanket, 
and  lasso,  complete  his  equipment. 

The  lasso  is  generally  made  of  carefully  twisted 
rawhide  or  hair,  and  in  the  hands  of  an  experienced 
person  is  a  very  formidable  weapon. 

As  we  had  bought  with  the  ranch  some  three 
hundred  head  of  horses  and  cattle,  all  except  the 
yearlings  being  branded  thus  —  BV»  Jerry  was  quite 
anxious  to  have  the  herd  driven  in  and  examined 
before  more  stock  was  purchased. 

It  required  all  the  authority  that  Jerry  and  myself 
possessed  to  prevent  the  boys  from  accompanying  the 
party  that  started  so  gallantly  out  upon  the  cattle- 
hunt  the  next  morning  -,  but  we  finally  persuaded 
them  of  the  dangers  they  must  necessarily  encounter 


28  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

upon  the  expedition,  and  induced  them  to  remain  at 
home,  although  Hal  persisted  in  declaring  that  he 
could  ride  as  well  and  as  long  as  any  vaquero. 
1  No  sight  connected  with  life  upon  the  frontier 
ever  impressed  me  more  forcibly  than  did  the  first 
rodeo  I  ever  witnessed. 

Let  me  describe  it.  The  cattle  collected  and  con- 
fined in  the  coral,  the  vaqueros  proceed  to  ornament 
themselves  and  their  horses  with  all  the  finery  they 
possess. 

Large  fires,  in  which  the  branding-irons  are  kept 
continually  heated,  are  then  kindled  in  close  proxim- 
ity to  the  enclosure.  The  gate  having  been  removed, 
and  a  broad  bar  substituted  in  its  place,  several  of 
the  vaqueros,  mounted  upon  their  favorite  steeds, 
enter  the  enclosure. 

The  first  lasso  is  thrown  over  the  horns  of  a  steer, 
then,  the  bar  being  withdrawn,  the  animal  is  coaxed 
out,  the  vaquero  at  his  side.  As  he  emerges  from 
the  coral,  a  second  lasso  is  dexterously  cast  so  as  to 
catch  him  by  one  of  his  hind-feet ;  and  the  next 
inntant  the  astonished  creature  is  hurled  violently  to 
the  ground,  where  he  is  securely  held  upon  his  side, 
by  means  of  the  lassos,  strained  to  their  utmost  ten- 
sion by  the  admirably  trained  horses,  who  throw  their 
whole  weight  upon  the  ropes.  Before  the  steer  fairly 
comprehends  the  situation,  a  Mexican  applies  the 
hot  brand  to  the  flank  or  shoulder ;  a  violent  strug- 
gle, a  hiss  of  the  brand,  and  a  little  puff  of  blue 
smoke,  announces  that  the  iron  has  done  its  work ; 


BRANDING   CATTLE.  29 

a  shake  of  the  lasso  then  disengages  it ;  the  steer 
struggles  to  his  feet,  gives  a  wild,  bewildered  look 
about  him,  and  with  an  angry  bellow  rushes  off 
towards  the  plain  as  fast  as  he  can  run,  smarting  with 
pain,  and  furious  at  the  treatment  he  has  received. 

The  larger  and  wilder  animals  are  invariably  kept 
until  the  last ;  and  as  the  numbers  in  the  coral 
gradually  become  thinned,  those  left  behind,  mad- 
dened by  the  rapid  driving  and  loud  yells  of  the' 
vaqueros,  combined  with  the  heat  and  dust,  begin  to 
show  fight  from  every  quarter. 

The  men  and  horses  become  each  moment  more 
excited ;  cattle  are  falling  in  all  directions,  and  the 
shouts  of  the  vaqueros,  accompanied  by  the  angry 
bellowings  of  the  cattle,  the  neighing  of  horses,  the 
thick  clouds  of  dust  and  smoke,  the  hissing  of  the 
brands  as  they  ruthlessly  descend  upon  the  flesh  of 
the  fallen  creatures,  all  conspire  to  create  a  scene  of 
the  wildest  confusion  and  excitement ;  one  that  must 
be  witnessed  to  be  properly  appreciated. 

Occasionally  a  young  bull,  after  having  been 
branded  and  cast  loose,  instead  of  hurrying  away 
towards  the  mountains,  turns,  and,  tail  in  air,  makes 
a  rush  at  the  crowd  of  spectators,  who  of  course  scat- 
ter in  every  direction.  These  attempts  at  revenge, 
however,  only  serve  to  increase  the  excitement,  for 
they  always  end  in  subjecting  the  maddened  brute  to 
further  indignities,  so  that  when  again  released  he 
rarely  fails  to  seek  the  company  of  his  equally 
unfortunate  companions  who  have  found  a  refuge 
in  the  mountains. 


30  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

The  cattle  branded,  the  men  are  expected  to  par- 
take of  supper ;  and  then  the  sweet  tones  of  the 
guitar  and  mandolin  summon  all  hands  to  the  fan- 
dango, which  invariably  crowns  the  day's  sport. 

From  early  morning  the  boys  had  been  perfectly 
wild  with  excitement ;  hurrying  hither  and  thither, 
ordering  here  and  there,  one  moment  scurrying  rap- 
idly away  on  their  ponies  over  the  plain  in  pur- 
suit of  some  stray  steer,  again  perched  upon  the  wall 
of  the  coral,  and  devouring  a  huge  piece  of  honey- 
comb with  all  the  gusto  of  old  frontier-men  ;  nor 
was  it  until  after  the  crowd  had  separated,  the  music 
ceased,  the  dancers  gone  home,  and  the  cold  gray 
light  of  early  morning  was  struggling  witli  the  dark- 
ness of  night,  that  they  could  be  induced  to  retire 
to  their  beds,  worn  out  with  the  excitement,  and  the 
(to  them)  novel  experiences  of  the  day  and  night. 

The  result  of  the  day's  work  showed  us  to  be  the 
owners  of  three  hundred  and  sixty-three  head  of 
cattle  young  and  old;  but,  as  Jerry  insisted  that 
there  ought  to  be  at  least  a  thousand  head  upon  the 
ranch,  I  finally  decided  that  the  required  number 
should  be  added  as  soon  as  they  could  be  purchased. 

It  was  nearly  noon  before  the  boys  made  their 
appearance ;  and  the  first  question  asked  was  if  we 
had  been  to  the  trap. 

Neither  of  us  had  given  it  a  thought ;  but  at 
Jerry's  suggestion,  we  concluded  to  ride  out  imme- 
diately after  we  had  partaken  of  dinner. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A  NEW  ACQUAINTANCE.  —  SILE  CARTER  AND  JERRY.  —  A 

VISIT  TO  THE  TRAP.  —  THE  WILD  BULLS. HAL  AND  NED 

TURN  VAQUEROS.  THE  CHASE  AND  A  FALL. A  PONY 

GORED. A  SUGGESTION,  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  IT. 

WHILE  engaged  in  eating  dinner,  our  ears  were 
saluted  with  an  unmistakable  Yankee  "  Halloo, 
the  house  there  !  "  —  which  had  the  effect  of  bringing 
us  to  the  door,  where  we  discovered  a  stranger  sit- 
ting upon  his  horse,  and  regarding  with  a  somewhat 
rueful  countenance  the  yelping  dogs  that  sur- 
rounded him.  Leaving  the  bo}rs  to  silence  the  dogs, 
I  at  once  invited  the  new-comer  to  alight. 

"  Heow  on  airth  do  ye  'spect  a  man  tew  'light 
with  such  a  pack  of  yelpin'  curs  about  him  as 
you've  got  here  ?  "  was  the  response  to  my  invita- 
tion. 

The  boys  by  this  time  having  driven  away  the 
dogs,  the  stranger  straightened  himself  in  his  Cali- 
fornia saddle,  and,  first  removing  from  the  pommel  his 
long  Kentucky  rifle,  slowly  swung  himself  to  the 
ground. 

He  was  a  man  apparently  forty  years  of  age,  tall 

31 


32  CKOSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

and  thin,  with  a  pleasant  face,  browned  by  long  ex- 
posure to  the  weather,  and  nearly  covered  with  a 
long  flowing  beard. 

Upon  his  head  was  a  broad-brimmed  felt  hat  that 
served  to  partially  conceal  his  features,  which,  how- 
ever, lighted  up  with  such  an  expression  of  surprise 
and  pleasure  at  the  sight  of  old  Jerry  standing  in  the 
door,  that  I  involuntary  glanced  at  the  old  man  to 
ascertain  if  he  responded  to  the  recognition. 

The  horseman  was  clothed  in  a  short  jacket  of 
buckskin,  with  pants  of  the  same  material,  the  whole 
suit  being  heavily  fringed  and  ornamented.  Upon 
his  feet  were  heavy  American  riding-boots,  adorned 
with  a  pair  of  enormous  Spanish  spurs ;  and  from  his 
belt  protruded  the  handle  of  a  Colt's  revolver  and 
a  Spanish  hunting-knife.  Upon  the  pommel  of  his 
saddle  was  neatly  coiled  a  finely  braided  rawhide 
reita,  or  lasso,  which,  with  the  Mexican  blanket 
tied  to  the  back  of  the  tree,  completed  his  outfit. 

As  he  stood  beside  his  horse,  partially  leaning  upon 
his  rifle,  he  said  in  a  pleasant  voice,  but  with  a  strong 
nasal  twang, — 

"  They  told  me  deown  tew  the  Bay  that  I  should 
find  a  Yankee  ranch  eout  here  ;  and  as  I  was  raised 
deown  on  the  Kennebec,  in  the  State  of  Maine,  I 
thought  Fd  ride  eout  and  take  a  look  at  yer,  for  the 
sake  of  old  times  ;  but  if  that  ain't  Jerry  Vance's 
face  in  that  'ere  door,  why,  consarn  it,  it's  his  picter 
or  his  ghost,  I  dunno  which." 

Upon  hearing  himself  thus  alluded  to,  Jerry  came 


SILE   CARTER   AND  JERRY.  33 

forward ;  and  no  sooner  did  he  get  a  good  sight  -at 
the  stranger's  face,  than  he  exclaimed,  "  Sile  Carter, 
as  I'm  alive  ! "  and  the  two  grasped  hands  with  a 
warmth  that  betokened  an  unmistakable  but  most 
agreeable  surprise. 

"  You  bet  I'm  glad  to  see  yer,  Sile,"  said  old 
Jerry.  "  You  see,  I  didn't  git  a  right  good  look  at 
the  ugly  mug  under  that  big  hat  o'  yourn,  or  I'd 
knowed  yer  in  a  minute,  if  'tis  nily  ten  year  since 
I  seen  you  last ;  but  come  in,  Sile,  come  in  ;  I  want  ter 
introduce  you.  —  Here,  boys,  this  is  Sile  Carter,  an 
old  friend,  a  hunter,  trapper,  miner,  and  forty-niner, 
that  I've  summered  and  wintered,  and  found  to  be  as 
true  a  man  as  ever  eat  a  corn-pone.  —  Here,  Patsey, 
lead  this  hoss  round  to  the  coral ;  and  you,  Sile, 
come  in,  and  hev  sumthin'  to  eat.  You  bet  I'm  glad 
ter  see  yer  though !  why,  I  hain't  seen  a  face  that  I 
ever  seed  afore  sence  I  struck  the  country  this 
spring.  Whar'  yer  been  this  long  time,  and  what 
yer  doin'  down  ter  the  Bay  ?  Tell  us  all  about  it." 

Calling  the  boys  to  me,  I  suggested  that  we  leave 
Jerry  and  his  friend  to  enjoy  their  visit  together, 
while  we  rode  out  and  made  an  inspection  of  the 
trap ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  were  off  for  the 
woods. 

As  we  were  slowly  galloping  over  the  plain,  my 
attention  was  arrested  by  the  appearance  of  a  small 
herd  of  wild  cattle  grazing  in  the  distance  ;  where- 
upon I  suggested  to  Hal  that  here  was  a  fine 
opportunity  to  show  his  skill  as  a  rider,  as  well  as  to 
gratify  any  taste  he  possessed  for  a  vaquero's  life. 


34  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

I  had  hardly  spoken,  ere  both  the  boys  started  in 
pursuit  of  the  herd,  which  consisted  of  five  black 
bulls,  one  of  them  evidently  a  young  one. 

They  were  splendid  beasts,  with  sleek,  glossy 
coats,  short  horns,  thin  flanks,  and  broad  chests ; 
evidently  as  wild  and  fierce  as  the  most  daring 
vaquero  would  have  desired  to  meet.  The  instant 
they  caught  sight  of  the  boys,  they  evinced  con- 
siderable uneasiness,  staring  wildly  at  them,  sniffing 
the  air  and  pawing  the  ground  in  a  frantic  manner, 
and  then  starting  at  a  round  gallop  for  the  mountains. 

The  boys  pursued  them  for  some  time  without 
gaining  on  them  in  the  least ;  when,  seeing  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  overtake  them,  Ned  raised 
his  rifle,  and,  just  as  the  young  one  presented  his 
broadside  to  him,  fired,  bringing  the  bull  to  his 
knees,  while  the  rest  of  the  herd,  tail  on  end, 
trotted  briskly  away  over  the  plain. 

As  Ned  had  been  obliged  to  rein  in  his  pony  before 
shooting,  the  halt  had  given  Hal  a  decided  advantage, 
and  he  was  now  some  distance  in  the  advance ;  see- 
ing the  bull  fall,  he  spurred  towards  him,  reaching 
him,  as  it  proved,  altogether  too  soon  for  his  own 
good ;  for  he  rode  so  close  to  him,  that  the  bull  by 
a  sudden  exertion  rose,  and  plunged  at  him. 

So  quick  and  unexpected  was  the  effort  that  before 
Hal  could  get  out  of  his  way,  the  creature  struck  his 
horns  into  the  pony's  shoulder,  badly  goring  it,  and 
unseating  Hal,  who  was  violently  hurled  to  the 
ground  by  the  shock.  Jumping  to  his  feet,  he  ran 


HAL  AND  NED  TURN  VAQUEROS.       35 

towards  us  yelling,  "  Shoot  him  !  sho.ot  him  !  why 
don't  you  shoot  him  ?  "  as  badly  demoralized  a  va- 
quero  as  I  ever  remember  to  have  seen  at  a  cattle- 
hunt. 

The  last  effort  of  the  bull  proved  too  much  for  his 
strength  ;  for  the  gallant  fellow  immediately  fell 
upon  his  knees  once  more,  and  then  rolled  over  upon 
his  side,  dead,  while  Hal's  pony  started  for  home  as 
fast  as  he  could  go. 

As  soon  as  we  were  satisfied  that  Hal  was  "  more 
scared  than  hurt,"  we  could  not  resist  the  inclination 
we  felt  to  laugh  at  the  woe-begone,  disconsolate 
appearance  of  the  young  man,  who  stood  trying  to 
brush  the  dirt  from  his  clothing,  occasionally  pausing 
to  survey  his  pony  now  fast  disappearing  in  the 
distance,  and  then  glancing  towards  the  cause  of  his 
discomfiture,  who  lay  lifeless  before  him. 

Up  to  this  time  neither  of  us  had  spoken.  Hal 
was  the  first  to  blurt  out, — 

"  I  was  a-going  to  bleed  him,  just  as  the  vaquero 
told  me  they  always  did,  and  he  got  right  up  and 
come  at  me  ;  "  then  turning  to  Ned,  he  angrily  ex- 
claimed, "  I  never  knew  you  to  half  kill  any  thing 
anyhow." 

"  You  had  the  same  chance  to  fire  that  I  did :  why 
didn't  you  shoot  him  ?  "  laughingly  inquired  Ned. 

"  You  should  have  approached  him  more  carefully, 
Hal,"  said  I :  "  you'll  never  become  a  vaquero  until 
you  learn  to  exercise  more  caution  as  well  as  pres- 
ence of  mind  ;  these  are  indispensable." 


36  CEOSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  I  don't  care  :  nobody  could  have  got  out  of  his 
way,"  declared  the  boy.  "  And  I've  had  enough  of 
hunting  cattle.  If  you  want  any  more  hunted,  you 
may  hunt  'em  yourself." 

This  ebullition  of  temper  caused  both  Ned  and 
myself  to  burst  into  a  loud  laugh,  in  the  midst  of 
which  Hal  started  limping  away  in  the  direction  of 
the  house. 

"Where's  your  rifle?"  shouted  Ned.  "You'd 
better  take  it  with  you  ;  "  but  Hal  limped  on,  nor 
would  he  accept  of  Ned's  offer  to  go  after  his  pony. 

"  Let  him  go,  Ned,"  said  I :  "perhaps  it  will  learn 
him  a  lesson,  or,  at  all  events,  teach  him  to  be  more 
cautious  in  the  future.  We'll  ride  on,  and  examine 
the  trap,  and  then  have  Patsey  come  out  for  your 
game. 

The  trap  was  found  to  contain  a  good-sized  cub  ; 
and  after  removing  it,  and  finding  ourselves  unable 
to  reset  it,  we  rode  back  towards  the  ranch,  where 
we  found  Hal  entertaining  Jerry  and  his  friend 
with  a  recital  of  the  wrongs  he  had  experienced  at 
the  hands  of  Ned  and  myself. 

Patsey  and  a  couple  of  the  Mexicans  were  de- 
spatched with  the  wagon  for  the  game,  and  then  the 
pony  examined.  The  wound  proved  to  be  a  slight 
one  ;  old  Jerry  assuring  us  that  in  ten  days  "  he'd 
be  jest  as  good  as  ever,"  declaring  that  in  the  mean 
time  "  Hal  ought  terbe  made  tergo  afoot,  terpayfor 
his  cussed  careless  way  of  talkin'." 

During  the  remainder  of  the  afternoon  and  even- 


A   SUGGESTION,    AND   WHAT   CAME   OF   IT.       37 

ing,  I  had  a  fine  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted 
with  Sile,  who  proved  to  be  thoroughly  conversant 
with  all  portions  of  the  country  as  an  experienced 
guide,  as  well  as  miner  and  trapper.  Indeed,  with- 
out Jerry's  assertion  "  that  he'd  summered  and  win- 
tered him,  and  knowed  him  to  be  as  white  as  any 
man  that  ever  wore  buckskin,"  his  appearance  alone 
would  have  prepossessed  us  in  his  favor ;  for  we 
found  him  modest  and  unassuming  in  his  bearing, 
and  with  a  pleasant,  genial  manner  that  spoke  loudly 
in  his  favor. 

So  well  pleased  was  I  with  his  appearance,  that, 
before  I  retired  that  night,  I  ventured  to  unfold  to 
Jerry  a  plan  that  I  had  for  some  time  been  matur- 
ing ;  which  was,  to  visit  the  more  northern  and  east- 
ern portions  of  the  State  in  company  with  the  boys, 
who  like  myself  were  entirely  unacquainted  with  the 
country,  and  while  there  purchase  such  stock  as  we 
required  for  the  ranch. 

The  fact  that  I  did  not  care  to  go  unless  accom- 
panied by  an  experienced  guide,  and  had  no  suitable 
person  to  leave  in  charge  at  home,  had  alone  deterred 
me  from  starting  before ;  now  I  proposed  to  secure 
the  services  of  Sile  Carter,  and  leave  Jerry  behind  to 
take  charge  of  and  superintend  the  affairs  on  the 
ranch. 

The  plan  pleased  Jerry,  who  immediately  declared 
it  was  just  the  thing,  saying  "  there  warn't  another 
man  in  Californy  he'd  as  soon  trust  as  Sile  Carter ; 
because  he  not  only  know'd  the  country  so  well, 


38  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

but  was  honest,  had  real  grit,  was  brave,  and  had 
jest  as  soon  fight  his  weight  in  wild-cats  or  grizzlies 
as  not:  besides,  he  wouldn't  let  nobody  impose  on 
the  boys  'cause  they  was  young." 

I  requested  Jerry  to  say  nothing  of  the  plan  until 
it  had  been  more  fully  considered,  and  went  to  bed 
to  dream  over  it ;  for  I  had  lived  long  enough  in  the 
world  to  learn  that  any  step  worth  taking  was  worth 
thinking  of  beforehand. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A   TRIP   SUGGESTED. A   HUNT. THE   RESULT. HOW  WE 

JERKED    OUR   MEAT. ORGANIZING   A    PACK-TRAIN. A 

STAMPEDE.  ON   THE   ROAD. HAL   AND    NED  IN  A  FIX. 

CROSSING   THE    QUICKSANDS. 

EARLY  on  the  following  morning  I  despatched 
Hal  and  Ned  upon  a  tour  of  inspection  to  the 
trap,  taking  advantage  of  their  absence  to  mention 
the  subject  of  the  contemplated  trip  to  Sile,  who  at 
once  declared  his  readiness  to  accompany  us,  and  do 
all  in  his  power  to  make  it  a  pleasant  as  well  as  suc- 
cessful and  profitable  one ;  suggesting,  however,  the 
advantage  of  transporting  our  stores  with  pack  ani- 
mals instead  of  wagons,  as  originally  intended. 

Upon  consulting  with  Jerry,  he  assured  me  that 
we  already  had  every  thing  needed  for  our  personal 
outfit,  but  expressed  the  opinion  that  we  might  find 
some  difficulty  in  breaking  our  mules  to  the  pack- 
saddle,  especially  as  since  our  arrival  they  had  been 
permitted  to  run  wild  with  the  herd  of  horses. 

Sile  suggested  that  himself  and  the  boys  should 
take  a  day  for  hunting  ;  hoping  thereby  to  secure 
enough  venison  for  "jerking,"  which  was  to  be  car- 

39 


40  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

ried  along  for  use,  provided  game  should  be  found 
scarce  upon  any  part  of  the  route. 

While  we  were  discussing  this  subject,  the  boys 
returned,  and  forthwith  began  to  ply  us  with  so  many 
questions  relative  to  the  trip,  its  object,  destination, 
&c.,  that  we  were  obliged  in  self-defence  to  fully 
explain  the  project. 

The  preliminaries  arranged,  Sile  and  the  boys 
made  ready  for  their  hunting  expedition  the  follow- 
ing day,  while  Jerry  and  myself  were  to  visit  San 
Diego,  and  purchase  a  tent  and  the  necessary  outfit 
for  our  atajo,  or  pack-train. 

Upon  our  return  the  following  night,  we  found 
the  hunters  had  arrived  with  a  fine  supply  of  veni- 
son, in  addition  to  which  they  reported  another 
large  grizzly  in  the  trap. 

Old  Jerry  was  in  high  glee  at  this  unexpected  good 
fortune,  and  could  not  forbear  reminding  Hal  that 
"  thar  wasn't  nothin'  like  burnt  honey  for  ketchin' 
bars,  if  they  warn't  quite  so  smart  's  some  folks." 

It  was  hardly  daybreak  the  next  morning,  ere 
Jerry  and  a  couple  of  the  Mexicans,  with  the  wagon, 
were  on  their  way  to  procure  the  bear's  carcass, 
which  we  decided  to  "  jerk  "  with  the  venison. 

Upon  its  arrival,  we  all  went  to  work  with  a  will, 
cutting  the  meat  free  from  the  bones  into  small  thin 
strips.  These  pieces  were  then  laid  upon  the  inside 
of  the  hide  of  the  animal,  and  completely  covered 
with  salt :  they  were  then  carefully  wrapped  in  the 
skin,  and  suffered  to  remain  about  four  hours,  when 
they  were  ready  to  be  "  jerked." 


HOW   WE  JERKED  OUR   MEAT.  41 

Under  Sile's  direction  the  boys  produced  four 
strong,  forked  sticks,  which  were  driven  firmly  into 
the  ground  about  six  feet  apart,  in  the  form  of  a 
square.  Two  stout,  firm  poles  were  then  laid  across 
the  forks,  upon  opposite  sides  of  the  square,  about 
four  feet  above  the  ground  ;  the  space  between 
being  filled  with  smaller  poles  about  two  inches 
apart,  thus  forming  a  huge  gridiron  upon  which  the 
strips  of  flesh  were  spread. 

A  fire  was  then  kindled  beneath  it,  which  was 
carefully  fed  with  clean,  fresh  wood  ;  and  at  the 
end  of  twenty-four  hours  the  meat  had  shrunk  to 
about  one-half  in  size,  the  salt  had  been  thoroughly 
dried  in,  and  Sile  declared  we  had  provisions  enough 
to  carry  us  through,  even  though  we  failed  to  find 
any  game  upon  the  route. 

In  the  mean  time  a  couple  of  the  vaqueros,  who 
had  been  sent  out  to  the  ranch  to  select  and  bring  up 
the  animals  for  the  pack-train,  returned  with  eight 
fine  strong  mules,  who  followed  the  old  bell-mare l 
so  placidly  and  sedately  that  we  all  enjoyed  a  laugh 
at  Jerry's  expense  for  entertaining  the  idea  that 
we  should  find  them  in  the  least  intractable.  In- 
deed, so  well-behaved  and  quiet  were  they  that  we 
deemed  it  unnecessary  to  give  them  even  a  trial 
before  the  time  of  starting. 

After  securing  a  half-breed  for  our  cook,  and  a 

1  Mules  entertain  such  a  peculiar  affection  for  an  old  white  mare, 
with  a  bell  around  her  neck,  that  an  animal  of  this  kind  is  gen- 
erally driven  with  every  herd,  to  prevent  the  mules  from  straying. 


42  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

couple  of  Mexicans  to  act  as  arrieros,  or  muleteers, 
we  decided  to  leave  the  following  day,  travelling  as 
far  north  as  the  valley  of  the  San  Jose,  where  we 
knew  we  should  find  such  stock  as  we  desired  to 
purchase. 

When  the  mules  were  brought  out  from  the  coral, 
preparatory  to  being  packed,  Jerry  suggested,  as  a 
simple  matter  of  precaution,  that  they  should  be 
blinded  by  tying  cloths  about  their  heads,  so  as  to 
prevent  them  from  using  their  eyes.  They  sub- 
mitted so  quietly  to  the  operation  of  having  the 
clumsy  pack-saddle  adjusted,  as  well  as  to  that  of 
loading,  that  we  all  voted  them  models  of  patience 
and  good-temper ;  but  when  brought  into  line,  and 
the  blinders  removed  from  their  eyes,  it  was  alto- 
gether another  story. 

The  meek,  submissive  creatures  that  had  been  so 
"  roundly  abused  "  by  the  muleteers  for  being  no  bet- 
ter than  dead  mules,  became  suddenly  endowed  with 
life  and  motion,  and  began  to  assert  their  independ- 
ence in  such  a  manner  as  to  astonish  not  only  our- 
selves, but  the  bell-mare  as  well,  who  seemed  to  be 
quite  at  a  loss  to  account  for  their  unseemly  behav- 
ior; for  away  they  went,  helter-skelter  over  the 
plain,  in  the  most  reckless  manner  imaginable,  — 
kicking,  braying,  and  indulging  in  all  the  ridiculous 
antics  that  mules  were  ever  known  to  indulge  in. 

In  less  time  than  I  have  taken  to  tell  of  it,  the 
cargas  became  loosened,  and  then  such  a  scene  as  we 
witnessed  cannot  be  properly  described  upon  paper. 


ON   THE   ROAD.  43 

Camp-kettles,  coffee-pots,  Dutch-ovens,  tin  cups, 
hams,  sacks  of  flour,  boxes,  in  fact,  our  entire  stock 
of  commissariat  stores,  were  scattered  over  the  plain 
in  'the  utmost  confusion  ;  while  the  animal  that  car- 
ried the  tent  deliberately  walked  into  a  small  lake 
near  the  house,  and  lay  down. 

I  was  disposed  to  be  angry  at  first,  but  a  moment's 
reflection  convinced  me  that  no  one  was  really  to 
blame  for  the  mishap ;  and  then  the  ludicrous  appear- 
ance we  all  presented,  standing  with  mouths,  ears, 
and  eyes  wide  open,  without  making  the  least  exer- 
tion to  overtake  and  stop  the  runaways,  caused  me 
to  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh,  in  which  the  rest  speed- 
ily joined  ;  and  then,  hurriedly  mounting,  all  set  out 
in  pursuit  of  the  flying  fugitives. 

It  was  nearly  sunset  before  the  animals  were 
caught,  the  scattered  stores  collected,  and  order  re- 
stored :  altogether  too  late  to  think  of  starting  that 
day.  We  were  therefore  obliged  to  postpone  our 
departure  until  the  following  morning,  when  old 
Jerry  announced  his  intention  of  accompanying  us  on 
our  first  day's  travel,  which  was  to  be  as  far  as  the 
old  mission  of  San  Diego. 

Once  upon  the  road  the  boys  manifested  their 
delight  in  the  most  extravagant  manner,  declaring 
their  intention  of  riding  ahead  and  selecting  a  camp- 
ing-place for.  the  party;  and  before  I  had  time  to 
remonstrate  with  them,  their  ponies  were  scampering 
madly  over  the  plain,  as  though  for  dear  life. 

A  couple  of  hours  later  we  came  to  a  small  stream, 


44  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

where,  owing  to  the  steep  bank,  we  found  some 
difficulty  in  persuading  our  animals  to  cross :  after  a 
short  delay  we  got  them  safely  over,  Jerry  and  my- 
self following  up  the  bank.  After  riding  a  milef  or 
more  we  came  unexpectedly  to  Hal  and  Ned  lying 
upon  the  grass,  and  looking  as  dejected  and  discon- 
solate as  two  boys  could  well  look. 

They  appeared  to  have  been  in  the  water  nearly 
lip  to  their  necks,  and  were  quite  covered  with  sand 
and  dirt;  their  ponies,  which  were  quietly  feeding 
near  them,  having  evidently  shared  the  fate  of  their 
masters. 

"  What's  the  trouble,  boys  ?  "  inquired  I,  riding 
towards  them. 

"  Got  into  the  quicksand,"  sententiously  answered 
Ned. 

"  Whar  on  airth  did  yer  find  quicksand?"  in- 
quired Jerry. 

"  In  the  stream  there,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Of  course  if  there  was  a  spot  anywhere  within 
ten  miles  you  youngsters  would  hev  got  inter  it: 
that's  sartin.  You  must  er  hed  a  lively  time  findin' 
it :  who  diskivered  it  ?  " 

"  Hal  got  into  it  first,  and  then  I  went  in  to  help 
him  out,"  was  the  reply. 

"  I  might  'a'  know'd  it  without  axin'  sich  a  ques- 
tion. He'd  find  any  thing  like  that  a  heap  quicker 
than  he'd  find  a  pot  er  gold. 

44  How  come  you  ter  git  inter  sich  a  muss  ?"  con- 
tinued Jerry,  turning  towards  Hal.  . 


CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS.  45 

"  I  didn't  think  about  quicksand,"  replied  Hal. 
"  I  rode  my  pony  into  the  stream,  and  stopped  a 
minute  to  let  him  drink,  and  the  first  thing  I  saw 
he  began  to  sink,  and  before  I  knew  it  I  found  he 
couldn't  pull  his  feet  out  of  the  sand  ;  so  I  called  to 
Ned  and  he  rode  in :  but  when  he  found  what  the 
trouble  was  he  spurred  his  pony  across  as  fast  as  he 
could,  and  then  waded  in  to  help  me,  and  we  both 
got  wet  getting  my  pony  out." 

"  Wai,  you  was  lucky  ter  git  him  out,  anyhow ; 
'cause  it's  mighty  dangerous  crossin'  quicksand, 
specially  for  boys  that  don't  know  nothin'  'bout  it," 
said  Jerry. 

"  Boys  sometimes  know  as  much  as  those  that  are 
a  good  deal  older,"  replied  Hal. 

44  So  I've  heern  tell,"  remarked  Jerry,  "  though  I 
hain't  seed  none  er  that  sort  'bout  here.  Now,  if 
you'd  bin  one  er  that  kind,  you'd  'a'  built  a  fire  and 
dried  them  clothes  er  yourn  afore  this  time,  instead 
of  settin'  on  the  grass  talkin'  about  it." 

44  We  should  have  done  it  a  long  time  ago,  only  we 
had  nothing  to  light  a  fire  with  ;  for  our  matches  all 
got  wet,  and  wouldn't  burn,"  said  Ned  by  way  of 
apology. 

"  Matches  all  got  wet ! "  repeated  Jerry  in  a  con- 
temptuous tone.  44  What  er  that?" 

44  Why,  of  course  we  couldn't  light  a  fire  with 
wet  matches,"  somewhat  impatiently  interrupted 
Hal.  44 1  should  think  any  fool'd  know  that." 

44  I've  lighted  many  a  fire  when  there  weren't  a 


46  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

match,  wet  or  dry,  within  a  dozen  miles,  youngster ; 
and  kin  do  it  again  too." 

"  I  know  the  Apaches  do  it  by  rubbing  two  dry 
sticks  together,"  continued  Hal ;  "but  it  can't  be 
done  any  other  way." 

"  Don't  be  too  sartin  of  that,  youngster.  There's 
a  good  many  ways  er  doin'  it.  I'll  wager  a  good  fat 
buck  agin  a  coyote,  that  Sile  Carter  never'd  be  put 
ter  his  stumps  ter  start  a  fire  any  time,  without 
matches  or  rubbin'  two  dry  sticks  together  either, 
for  that  matter." 

"  Well,  I'd  like  to  see  him  do  it,"  replied  Hal ; 
"  and  when  I  do,  I'll  believe  it,  and  not  before." 

44  Jes  so,  youngster.  You've  got  a  heap  ter  larn 
afore  you  know  much ;  but  that  ain't  no  reason  why 
we  mayn't  as  well  ride  on  ter  camp,  for  I  see  Sile  's 
got  his  fire  started  while  we've  been  talkin'  here," 
said  the  old  man,  pointing  to  a  column  of  light-blue 
smoke  gracefully  ascending  upon  the  still  evening 
air,  some  distance  to  our  left. 


X, 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE     OLD     MISSION    OF    SAN   DIEGO.  OLIVE-TREES. HOW 

WE     MADE    WATERPROOF    MATCHES. HOW     SILE     "GOT 

KETCHED,"    AND     HOW     THE     GRIZZLY    WARMED    HIM. 

INDIANS    COMING. 

¥E  were  soon  galloping  towards  camp,  which  we 
found  pleasantly  located  near  a  fine  grove  of 
olive-trees  in  close  proximity  to  the  walls  of  the 
old  mission  of  San  Diego ;  the  last  of  the  California 
missions  to  be  abandoned. 

The  boys  at  once  set  out  upon  a  tour  of  explora- 
tion ;  and  it  was  not  until  we  had  finished  our  supper, 
that  they  returned,  full  of  astonishment  at  the  extent 
and  magnificence  of  the  ruins  about  us. 

No  sooner  were  we  gathered  around  the  camp-fire 
that  evening,  than  Hal  commenced  questioning  Sile, 
as  to  how  he  would  start  a  fire  if  his  matches  were 
wet  and  wouldn't  burn. 

"  I  shouldn't  let  'em  git  wet  in  the  fust  place  ;  but 
if  they  did,  'twouldn't  make  no  difference,  'cause 
they're  fixed  so  that  they'll  light  anyhow,  wet  or 
dry." 

47 


48  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  How  is  that  clone  ?  "  inquired  Nerl. 

"  By  dissolving  a  little  shellac  in  alcohol,  and 
dippin'  the  match  into  it ;  then  you  kin  soak  it  in 
water  for  hours,  and  it  will  burn  just  ez  well," 
replied  Sile. 

"  Yes,"  interrupted  Hal;  "but  suppose  you  were 
out  in  the  woods,  and  had  no  matches,  how  would 
you  light  a  fire?" 

"  Wai,  there's  a  number  er  ways  that  would  dew, 
on  a  pinch.  I've  lit  one  afore  now,  by  pourin'  a 
little  powder  on  tew  a  rock,  and  puttin'  a  percussion- 
cap  in  it,  and  then  kiverin'  the  hull  thing  with  dry 
leaves,  and  explodin'  the  cap  with  a  stone ;  by  pilin' 
on  dry  leaves  and  twigs,  yew  kin  very  soon  start  a 
big  blaze.  Then,  again,  I  'most  always  carry  a  sun- 
glass, and  when  the  sun's  out,  it's  easy  enuff  tew 
dew  it." 

44  But  suppose  you  had  no  sun-glass,  or  powder, 
or  caps,  or  matches,"  persisted  Hal :  "  what  would 
you  do  then?" 

"  If  I  hadn't  no  sun  -  glass,  nor  powder,  nor 
matches,  nor  caps,  nor  nothin'  tew  make  a  fire  with, 
what  would  I  dew  ?  "  repeated  Sile  slowly.  "  Why, 
then,  I  should  scrape  some  lint  off  er  my  shirt,  or 
git  some  dry  spunk-wood,  and  put  it  on  a  rock,  and, 
by  strikin'  a  skippin'  sort  of  a  blow  with  a  stone,  I 
should  be  putty  sure  tew  bring  fire  ;  and  if  a  spark 
teched  it,  it'd  ketch  sartin ;  and  by  fannin'  it  with 
my  hat,  I'd  soon  git  a  blaze  out  of  it,  you  bet, 
youngster.  There's  a  good  many  ways  tew  dew  it. 


49 

I  never  was  afraid  of  starvin'  or  freezin'  yet  for  want 
of  a  fire  ;  'cause  if  a  man's  got  any  sorter  sense,  he'll 
find  some  way  tew  git  out  of  sich  a  scrape,  ef  he  gits 
inter  it." 

"  But  it  isn't  everybody  that  would  be  able  to 
think  in  such  a  case,"  said  Ned. 

"  Then  he  hain't  got  no  bizness  ter  be  trav'lin'  on 
the  plains ;  'cause  he's  liable  ter  be  ketched  in  a 
onsartin  predicament  any  time,"  remarked  Jerry. 

"  I'll  tell  you  a  predicament  I  once  got  ketched  in, 
youngster,"  said  Sile.  "  I  was  a-minin'  up  in  Yuba, 
and  hed  jist  come  in  from  the  sluice,  when  I  see  a 
wolf  rite  in  the  edge  of  the  clearin'  whar  my  cabin 
was.  I  ketched  up  my  rifle  that  stood  by  the  door, 
and  started  ferhim.  I  followed  him  up  the  mountain 
fer  quite  a  ways,  and  all  of  a  sudden  it  begun  tew 
grow  cold,  and  a  blindin'  snow-storm  come  on.  I 
know'd'  tvvau't  no  use  tew  try  tew  find  my  way  back 
in  that  storm ;  and  I  know'd  putty  well,  that  if  some- 
thin'  didn't  happen  afore  a  great  while,  Sile  Carter'd 
freeze  tew  death,  sartin'.  Well,  while  I  was  a-think- 
in',  I  seed  a  big  grizzly  come  tearin'  right  by  me  as 
though  he  was  in  a  thunderin'  hurry  tew  git  hum.  So 
I  up  and  fired,  and,  as  good  luck  would  hev  it,  hit 
him  rite  behind  the  left  fore-shoulder ;  and  I'll  be 
switched  if  '  old  Ephraim '  didn't  jest  keel  over,  as 
dead  as  Obed  Rollins's  ghost.  I  couldn't  hardly  be- 
lieve it  at  fust,  but  he  was  dead,  sartin  as  I  was 
'enamost  froze  tew  death  myself;  so  I  jist  took  out 
my  knife,  ripped  the  old  feller  open,  pulled  his  in- 


50  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

'ards  out,  and  got  rite  in  tew  that  air  carcass,  butes 
and  all.  And  I  tell  you,  I  laid  thar  all  night  as  snug 
as  ever  a  feller  laid  in  his  life  ;  and  in  the  mornin'  I 
crawled  out,  and  went  hum.  I  told  the  boys  how 
'twas,  and  they  went  up  and  fetched  the  carcass 
down;  and  if  we  didn't  hev  a  high  old  time  over 
that  grizzly,  my  name  ain't  Sile  Carter,  that's  all. 
I  tell  yer  what  'tis,  boys,  I  never  see  no  stove  that 
kept  me  so  warm  as  that  old  grizzly  did  that  night ; 
'twas  as  good  as  a  oven." 

"  I  should  rather  have  slept  cold,  than  in  such  a 
place  as  that,  even  if  I'd  'a'  thought  of  it,"  remarked 
Ned. 

"  Some  folks  would  ;  but  it's  different  from  me," 
said  Sile. 

"  I'm  sure  Sile  did  just  what  I  should  have  done  if 
I'd  been  caught  in  the  same  scrape,"  remarked  Hal. 

"  If  I  hadn't  done  it  I'd  bin  a  stiff  froze  corpse 
before  mornin',  sartin,"  continued  Sile.  "  I've  allers 
allowed  'twas  a  mighty  big  streak  er  luck  that 
fetched  that  old  grizzly  along  jest  then.  Yer  see,  I 
didn't  hev  another  charge  er  powder,  nor  a  cap,  nor 
nothin' ;  b'sides,  'tain't  one  time  in  a  hundred  that  a 
feller'll  kill  a  grizzly  on  the  fust  shot :  j^er  see,  if  I'd 
missed  the  critter,  why,  I  was  a  plaguy  sight  wus 
off  than  I  was  afore  ;  'cause  I  should  er  hed  the  bar 
tew  fite  as  well  as  the  cold,  and  'twixt  the  two  on 
'em  they'd  'a'  got  Sile,  sartin.  But  his  carcass  saved 
me,  and  I'm  willin  tew  give  the  credit  rite  whar  it 
b'longs:  suthin'  er  other  sent  the  critter  along  jist 


INDIANS   COMING.  51 

then,  right  in  the  nick  of  time  ;  fer  thar  hain't  ben  a 
grizzly  seed  within  ten  mile  er  that  place  sence  ; 
and  never  was  afore,  thet  I  heerd  of." 

44  It  was  a  rale  risky  thing  ter  do,"  remarked  Jerry ; 
"  but  there  ain't  many  men  would  have  knowed 
enough  to  hev  took  the  advantage  you  did,  if  they 
hed  thought  of  it.  They'd  hev  friz  all  the  same,  bar 
or  no  bar." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  interrupted  Hal: 
44  'twould  have  been  the  first  thing  I  should  have 
thought  of.  A  man  must  always  have  his  wits 
about  him  on  the  plains." 

"  Jes'  like  you  did  the  other  day,  when  you  was 
chasin'  that  steer  ;  but  then,  you  see,  you'n'  Sile  hev 
hed  sich  a  mighty  sight  of  'sperience  on  the  plains, 
its  likely  yew  would  hev  thought  of  it.  Thar  ain't 
nothin'  that  brings  a  feller  out  like  'sperience." 

"  Excepting  burnt  honey,"  remarked  Hal,  in  a 
tone  not  intended  for  Jerry's  ear. 

44  That's  ekally  good  for  cubs,"  continued  the  old 
man.  44 1  reckon  it  would  fetch  you ;  but  it's  nigh 
about  time  ter  turn  in,  'cause  we  shall  want  ter  git 
a  airly  start  in  the  mornin'.  I  must  git  back  ter  the 
ranch  by  ten  o'clock,  sartin." 

44  Well,  Jerry,  you  must  keep  things  straight  there, 
and  you  may  look  for  us  back  in  about  thirty  days. 
We  shall  see  you  in  the  morning,  however,  and 
say  good-by,"  said  I. 

44 1  don't  b'leve  in  sayin'  good-by:  yer  won't  ketch 
me  that  way ;  'tain't  good  luck.  I  reckon  though 


52  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

you'll  hev  a  nice  trip  ;  and  if  ever  you  get  lonesome 
like,  hev  Sile  spin  one  er  his  yarns  for  ye  ;  he's  a 
mighty  good  hand  at  that  sort  er  business.  If  ye  find 
a  lot  er  cattle  that  suit  yer,  be  keerful  'bout  hevin' 
the  brand  vented  afore  yer  start  with  'em,  cause  any- 
body kin  take  'em  if  yer  don't ;  and  don't  buy  nothin' 
over  three  year  old  nor  under  two." 

The  next  morning  we  parted  from  old  Jerry,  and 
just  at  sun-up  were  once  more  on  the  road. 

"  I'm  glad  Jerry  ain't  going  with  us.  He's  forever 
snubbing  me,  but  never  says  a  word  to  Ned,"  re- 
marked Hal,  just  after  the  old  man  bade  us  "  God 
speed." 

"  Jerry  rarely  talks  without  an  object,"  remarked 
I :  "if  therefore  he  talks  to  you,  he  unquestionably 
does  it  for  your  good." 

"  No,  he  don't.  The  fact  is,  he's  jealous  because  I 
learn  so  fast :  he's  afraid  I'll  know  more  about 
travelling  on  the  plains  than  he  does ;  and  I  mean  to 
get  Sile  to  teach  me  all  he  knows  about  it,  before  we 
get  back.  I'll  make  Jerry  sick." 

"  That's  all  nonsense,  Hal.  If  you  were  to  live  a 
hundred  years,  you  could  never  acquire  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  frontier  that  Jerry  possesses.  It  would 
require  closer  observation,  and  more  thought  than 
you  ever  bestow  upon  any  one  subject,  to  give  you 
even  a  smattering  of  Jerry's  information." 

"  There's  a  sage-rabbit !  "  exclaimed  the  boy,  as  a 
large  hare  started  up  almost  from  beneath  our  very 
feet.  For  a  single  instant  we  caught  sight  of  a  pair 


INDIANS   COMING.  53 

of  immense  ears  overtopping  a  bit  of  silvery  gray  fur, 
and  then  Hal  darted  off  on  his  pony  in  pursuit  of  the 
timid  creature,  calling  loudly  upon  Ned  to  follow  him. 
But  Ned  only  laughed,  declaring  that  Hal  might 
chase  lightning  if  he  cared  to,  but  he  believed  he 
would  reserve  his  pony's  surplus  strength  until  he 
could  find  a  deer  to  follow. 

Hardly  had  the  words  been  spoken,  ere  Sile  rode 
up,  and,  pointing  to  a  dark  mass  far  out  upon  the 
prairie,  remarked  that  there  was  a  herd  of  deer  feed- 
ing there,  the  next  moment  declaring  that  there  was 
also  a  party  of  Indians  in  sight. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  they  are  ?"  asked  I. 

"  Pai  Yutes,  I  guess :  them's  'bout  the  only  ones 
we'd  see  along  here,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Harmless,  ain't  they  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"As  far -as  killin's  consarned  ;  but  they're  the 
meanest,  dirtiest,  laziest  Injuns  that  was  ever  let 
loose  tew  plague  a  white  man.  All  they're  good  for 
is  tew  ketch  grasshoppers  and  wasps  and  such  like 
vermin.  We'll  see  enuff  of  'em  afore  we've  ben 
out  a  great  while." 

"  Halloo,  here  comes  Hal !  "  shouted  Ned.  "  I 
wonder  did  he  get  the  rabbit  ?  " 

"  What !  has  he  bin  runnin'  one  o'  them  sage-rab- 
bits on  that  pony  er  his'n  ?  He  might  chase  him  till 
the  crack  of  doom  :  he  couldn't  ketch  him.  Yew've 
got  tew  hev  a  dog  for  that  sort  o'  huntin'.  Why, 
one  on  'em'll  jump  twenty  foot,  git  'em  scart." 

The  next  moment  Hal  came  riding  furiously  up, 


54  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

his  face  pale  with  suppressed  excitement,  and  his 
pony  covered  with  sweat  and  foam.  As  soon  as  he 
could  speak  he  burst  out  with,  "  You're  a  nice  set  of 
frontiersmen,  riding  right  into  a  whole  nest  of 
Apaches.  I'd  like  to  know  whose  business  'tis  to 
keep  a  lookout.  We  shall  every  one  of  us  be  scalped : 
there's  two  to  our  one." 

"  Why,  how  you  talk !  "  replied  Sile.  "  Yew  don't 
tell  me  them's  'Paches.  When  I  seen  'em,  1  thought 
they  was  Diggers.  Be  they  'Paches,  though  ?  " 

"  I  wouldn't  worry  about  the  safety  of  the  train, 
Hal,"  remarked  I.  "  Better  trust  that  to  Sile,  and 
attend  to  your  own  concerns.  Where's  your  game  ?  " 

"  Confound  it !  I  couldn't  catch  him :  he  run  like 
the  wind." 

"  And  if  these  was  Apaches,  and  we  had  tew 
depend  on  our  hosses  tew  git  us  away,  what  kind  of 
a  chance  d'ye  think  yew'd  stand  on  that  pony  ?  " 
inquired  Sile,  pointing  to  the  panting,  reeking  ani- 
mal, thoroughly  blown  by  his  hard  ride. 

Hal  looked  exceedingly  foolish,  but,  instead  of 
answering,  only  protested  that  he  didn't  think  of 
that. 

"  A  man's  got  tew  have  his  thoughts  about  him 
trav'lin'  on  the  plains,"  continued  Sile.  "  He  don't 
never  want  tew  run  his  hoss  foolishly,  'cause  he  can't 
tell  how  soon  he  may  be  obleeged  tew  dew  it.  Thar 
ain't  no  use  o'  chasm'  them  rabbits,  'cause  yew  can't 
catch  'em  without  a  dog :  so  I'd  be  a  little  more 
careful  in  future,  sonny,  if  I  was  in  your  place. 


INDIANS   COMING.  55 

Them  In j ins  ain't  nothin'  but  Diggers  ;  yew  needn't 
be  afeard  of  them ; "  and  Sile  returned  to  the  train 
quite  unconscious  of  the  fact  that  he  had  unwittingly 
offended  Hal  by  the  patronizing  tone  he  employed  in 
addressing  him  ;  while  Hal,  almost  bursting  with 
rage,  rode  sullenly  beside  us,  muttering  to  himself  in 
a  manner  that  plainly  showed  no  very  great  appre- 
ciation of  Sile's  well-meant  counsel. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

INDIAN    VISITORS.  —  DIGGER    MANNERS. A   GRASSHOPPER- 
HUNT.    A     LAME     MULE.   A     VISIT     TO     A     PAI     UTE 

CAMP.  CAGED     RATTLESNAKES.  POISONED     ARROWS. 

COOKING   IN   A   BASKET.  —  A   DIET   OF   WASPS.  —  FISH- 
ING. 

WE  had  hardly  made  our  camp  that  night,  ere,  as 
Sile  had  predicted,  it  was  filled  with  some 
twenty  of  the  most  degraded,  vilest-looking  Indians 
we  had  ever  encountered. 

"  Now,  boys,"  said  Sile,  as  he  saw  them  approach- 
ing, "  these  fellers  won't  hurt  hurt  nobody  ;  but 
they'll  steal  the  terbacca  out  er  your  pipes,  or  the 
butes  off  er  your  feet :  so  keep  both  eyes  on  'em, 
and  don't  let  'em  come  near  the  cargas,  or  inter  the 
tent ;  and,  if  they  don't  mind  what  yew  tell  'em,  fetch 
'em  a  crack  over  the  head  with  a  club.  Yew  needn't 
be  afeard  of  'em ;  "  then  turning  towards  Hal,  he 
slyly  remarked,  "  Them's  your  'Paches,  ain't  they, 
sonny  ?  Don't  yew  be  afeard :  they  sha'n't  hurt 
you." 

"  I'm  not  afraid  of  Indians,  I'd  have  you  under- 

56 


INDIAN   VISITOES.  57 

stand.     I've  lived  among  them,"  replied  Hal  in  his 
most  dignified  and  freezing  manner. 

"  Dew  tell !  "  replied  Sile,  instantly  comprehending 
that  his  well-intended  assurances  had  caused  offence 
to  the  boy  ;  then  assuming  a  more  confidential  man- 
ner he  remarked,  — 

'  "  Dew  yeou  know,  I  never  shouldVe  'spected  it 
from  the  way  yeou  looked  when  you  rid  up  this 
forenoon.  I  kinder  thought  yeou  was  scart  then ; 
but  I  see  now  yeou  was  onl}7  poking  fun  at  us  ;" 
and  Sile  gave  Hal  a  most  knowing  wink,  facetiously 
nudging  him  with  his  elbow,  as  he  continued,  "  As 
my  old  mother  deown  in  Maine  used  tew  say,  you 
can't  most  allers  tell  from  the  looks  of  a  critter  heow 
fur  he'll  jump,  hey  ?  " 

By  this  time  the  Indians  were  fairly  in  camp ;  and, 
after  shaking  hands  with  each  member  of  our  party, 
they  squatted  upon  their  haunches  around  our  fire, 
taking  such  complete  possession  of  it  as  to  seriously 
interfere  with  the  cook's  labors.  One  of  the  filthiest 
of  the  party,  without  the  least  ceremony,  removed 
the  cover  from  one  of  the  kettles,  and,  plunging  his 
hand  into  it,  drew  out  a  portion  of  the  contents, 
which  he  conveyed  to  his  mouth,  and  devoured  with 
all  the  gusto  of  an  epicure. 

This  act  so  incensed  Sile,  that,  seizing  a  heavy 
quirk 1  from  one  of  the  Mexicans,  he  commenced 
belaboring  the  naked  backs  and  shoulders  of  the 
intruders  so  vigorously,1  he  soon  cleared  them  out 

1  A  short-bandied  whip. 


58  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

of  camp,  when,  withdrawing  a  short  distance,  they 
stood  regarding  us  with  scowling  •  countenances  and 
any  thing  but  friendly  demeanor. 

I  was  fearful  that  such  a  summary  expulsion  would 
bring  trouble  upon  us  ;  seeing  from  my  face  that  I 
was  somewhat  apprehensive  of  the  consequences 
that  might  follow  such  treatment,  Sile  hastened  to 
dispel  my  alarm  by  saying,  — 

"  Don't  you  be  scart,  squire.  I  know  them  fel- 
lers, ail'  as  long  as  thar's  two  on  us  together,  thar 
ain't  no  sort  o'  danger :  if  they  was  tew  ketch  any 
one  alone  though,  they'd  go  for  him,  sartin.  I  wonder 
if  some  on  'em  don't  speak  Mexican,"  and,  turning 
towards  them,  he  made  the  inquiry. 

Instantly  two  or  three  of  the  party  approached, 
one  of  whom  in  horrible  Spanish  began  an  explana- 
tion to  the  effect  that  they  were  friendly  "  Utes," 
who  were  out  upon  a  grand  hunt,  and  having  found 
no  game,  were  nearly  starved,  and  had  visited  our 
camp  only  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  something 
to  eat. 

"Of  course  they're  hungry,"  said  Sile:  "nobody 
ever  seen  a  Digger  that  wasn't.  But  'tain't  no  use  tew 
feed  'em,  'cause  two  on  'em  'd  eat  all  the  pervisions 
in  camp,  and  starve  for  a  month  arter  it." 

"  I  wonder  what  sort  of  game  they're  after  ?  "  in- 
quired Ned. 

"  Grasshoppers,  I  presume,"  said  I. 

"  Grasshoppers !  what  on  earth  are  they  hunting 
them  for  ?  " 


A   GRASSHOPPER-HUNT.  59 

"  For  food,  of  course :  they  are  esteemed  a  great 
luxury." 

"  Grasshoppers  a  luxury !  "  repeated  the  boy  in  a 
very  incredulous  tone.  "  Well,  if  they're  a  luxury, 
what's  their  principal  diet  composed  of?" 

"  Wasps,  mice,  acorns,  and  roots.  It  was  Gen. 
Fremont  who  gave  them  the  name  of  Diggers,  be- 
cause they  were  continually  digging  through  the 
snow  to  get  at  the  roots  and  grubs  in  the  earth, 
which  furnish  their  only  food  in  the  winter." 

"  I  should  think  it  would  be  fun  to  go  on  a  grass- 
hopper-hunt," said  Hal.  "  I  wish  we  could  have  a 
chance  to  see  how  they  hunt  'em.  How  do  they  do 
it,  I  wonder  ?  " 

"  They  first  dig  a  hole  deep  enough  to  prevent  the 
insects  from  jumping  out  after  they  are  once  in. 
The  Indians  then  arm  themselves  with  brush,  and 
forming  a  circle  beat  the  grasshoppers  towards  the 
pit.  When  in  the  hole  they  are  crushed,  and  either 
eaten  fresh  or  made  into  small  cakes,  which  are  pre- 
served for  future  use  by  being  dried  in  the  sun. 
During  the  wasp  season  the  ground  is  sometimes 
burned  over,  thus  answering  the  double  purpose  of 
disabling  the  grasshopper  and  consuming  the  wasp- 
nests  from  which  they  obtain  the  young  ones,  which 
are  said  to  be  very  delicious." 

"  I  don't  think  I  should  care  for  such  delicacies," 
said  Ned.  "  Come,  Hal,  let's  go  out  and  see  them  ; " 
and  the  two  boys  started  for  the  place  where  the 
Indians  seemed  to  be  engaged  in  having  a  cousulta- 


60  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

tion  as  to  the  cause  of  the  harsh  and  unpleasant 
treatment  they  had  received. 

At  this  moment  Sile  came  up  to  inform  me  that 
one  of  the  pack-mules  had  gone  "  dead  lame," 
caused  by  stepping  on  a  cactus-spine,  and  ought 
really  to  be  permitted  to  lie  still  for  a  day  or  two ;  a 
piece  of  information  I  in  no  manner  regretted  to 
hear,  since  the  delay  would  give  us  an  opportunity 
to  visit  the  Ute  camp,  and  enable  the  boys  to  see 
something  of  the  peculiar  manners,  habits,  and  cus- 
toms of  this  most  remarkable  of  the  Indian  tribes 
inhabiting  the  State  of  California. 

Early  on  the  following  morning  Hal  and  Ned, 
with  Sile  and  myself,  rode  over  to  the  Ute  encamp- 
ment, about  five  miles  distant. 

-We  found  it  composed  of  some  thirty  huts,  or  rude 
shelters,  made  of  sticks  or  boughs  interwoven  to- 
gether, and  located  upon  the  edge  of  a  small  laguna, 
or  lake.  Most  of  the  men  were  entirely  naked,  the 
women  having  pieces  of  blankets  or  strips  of  bark 
fastened  about  the  loins  and  hanging  nearly  to  the 
knee :  all,  taken  as  a  whole,  were  about  the  filthiest 
looking  Indians  I  had  ever  seen.  They  were  armed 
with  bows  and  spears,  but  welcomed  us  to  the  camp 
with  every  expression  of  good-will.  We  had  hardly 
entered  it,  however,  when  we  were  somewhat  sur- 
prised to  have  one  of  their  number,  an  old  gray- 
haired  man,  approach,  and,  extending  an  exceedingly 
dirty  hand,  hear  him  say  in  pretty  good  English, 
"  How  d'ye  do  ?  Me  speak  'Mexican  putty  good. 
How's  Gen'l  Fremont?" 


CAGED  RATTLESNAKES.  61 

Inquiry  revealed  the  fact  that  he  had  been  em- 
ployed as  a  guide  by  the  general  many  years  before  ; 
and  during  the  time  he  was  with  him  he  learned  to 
speak  the  language,  an  acquirement  of  which  he 
was  justly  proud. 

The  boys  soon  started  on  an  exploring  tour 
about  the  camp  ;  shortly  returning  with  a  really 
astonishing  account  of  what  they  had  seen  in  their 
'peregrinations,  the  most  wonderful  of  which  were 
two  caged  rattlesnakes,  and  squaws  cooking  in  bas- 
kets. 

The  old  man  (whose  name  I  have  forgotten) 
smiled  at  their  enthusiasm,  and  explained,  as  nearly 
as  we  could  understand,  as  follows :  •*— 

"  There  are  many  kinds  of  game  in  the  country  so 
wild  we  cannot  get  near  enough  to  kill  it  outright 
with  our  arrows  unless  they  are  poisoned:  this  is 
done  by  placing  the  liver  of  some  animal  in  a  box 
or  cage  in  which  two  or  three  rattlesnakes  are  con- 
fined. By  constantly  irritating  the  reptiles,  they  are 
made  to  repeatedly  strike  their  fangs  into  the  liver, 
which  soon  becomes  saturated  with  poison,  into 
which  the  warriors  dip  their  arrow-heads,  thereby 
rendering  the  slightest  wound  with  them  fatal." 

The  baskets  are  made  of  "  sedge-grass,"  by  the 
women,  and  are  woven  so  closely  that  they  are 
perfectly  water-tight.  The  food  to  be  cooked  is 
placed  in  water  in  these  baskets  ;  hot  stones  are 
then  dropped  in,  which  as  fast  as  they  cool  are  re- 
moved, fresh  ones  substituted,  and  the  water  thus 
kept  at  the  boiling-point  until  the  food  is  cooked. 


62  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

The  old  man  was  quite  anxious  that  we  should 
taste  of  their  bread  made  from  acorns,  assuring  us 
that  Gen.  Fremont  had  himself  eaten  it  many  times. 

We  watched  the  preparation  of  this  dish,  and 
found  that  when  free  from  dirt  and  sand,  it  did  not 
appear  to  be  a  very  unpalatable  article  of  diet. 

The  acorns  were  first  pounded  between  two  stones ; 
water  was  allowed  to  percolate  through  the  meal 
thus  obtained,  until  the  bitter  taste  of  the  acorn  was 
in  a  measure  removed  ;  after  which  it  was  wrapped 
in  leaves,  and  covered  with  hot  stones  until  baked. 

Although  the  boys  partook  of  the  bread  readily 
enough,  nothing  would  induce  them  to  give  the 
grasshopper-cake  a  trial ;  nor  would  they  consent  to 
taste  of  the  old  man's  somewhat  scanty  supply  of 
young  wasps,  notwithstanding  his  assurances  that 
"  dey  was  bery  good,  like  white  man's  honey." 

Sile,  who  during  our  conversation  had  been  stroll- 
ing about  the  camp,  here  put  in  an  appearance,  and 
inquired  of  the  old  man  what  the  braves  were  build- 
ing at  the  lower  end  of  the  camp. 

After  some  hesitation,  we  were  informed  that  the 
tribe  were  to  celebrate  the  mysteries  of  the  wolf- 
dance  that  evening,  a  rite  that  no  stranger  was  per- 
mitted to  witness. 

This  information  only  made  us  the  more  anxious 
to  see  it ;  and  it  required  all  the  persuasive  power  of 
Sile  and  myself,  backed  by  the  promise  of  a  new 
hunting-knife  for  himself,  and  plenty  of  brass  wire  for 
his  squaw,  before  he  would  agree  to  intercede  with 


FISHING.  63 

the  "  medicine "  who  had  the  dance  in  charge,  to 
allow  us  to  witness  it;  finally,  upon  our  .promising 
to  present  the  "  medicine-man  "  with  a  pair  of  bright 
red  blankets,  he  started  off  to  obtain  the  necessary 
permission  if  possible. 

While  he  was  absent,  we  strolled  down  to  the 
bank  of  the  lake,  and  became  much  interested  in 
watching  one  of  the  natives  engaged  in  fishing. 
Turning  over  a  sod,  and  picking  therefrom  a  few 
grubs,  he  selected  some  light,  dry  reeds  ;  he  then 
tied  the  grubs  to  one  end  of  the  reeds  with  hair  that 
he  pulled  from  his  own  head,  surrounding  the  bait 
with  loops  of  the  same  material ;  then  sticking  the 
grubs  in  the  mud  and  shallow  water  at  the  edge  of 
the  lake,  he  squatted  upon  his  haunches,  carefully 
watching  them.  Presently  one  of  the  reeds  trem- 
bled slightly  at  the  top  ;  seizing  it,  he  immediately 
tossed  lightly  out  upon  the  bank,  apparently  without 
the  slightest  effort,  a  very  large  fish.  This  operation 
was  repeated  several  times,  after  which  he  lighted  a 
small  fire,  and  heated  some  stones ;  then  enveloping 
the  fish  in  green  leaves,  he  covered  them  with  the 
heated  stones,  and,  burying  the  whole  under  a  mass 
of  hot  ashes  and  earth,  left  them  to  cook  at  their 
leisure. 

It  was  nearly  two  hours  before  our  messenger 
returned  announcing  that  he  had  finally  prevailed 
with  the  medicine,  and  obtained  the  necessary  con- 
sent to  our  being  present  unseen,  at  the  celebration 
of  the  wolf-dance. 


64  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

Before  describing  it  I  will  give  you  the  old  man's 
account  of  its  origin,  which,  in  connection  with  the 
events  that  followed,  you  will  not  find  uninteresting. 

Imagine  yourself  seated  with  us  beneath  the 
spreading  branches  of  an  acacia-tree,  near  the  mar- 
gin of  the  pretty  little  lake,  listening  to  the  old 
man's  story,  which  he  told  as  follows :  — 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  STORY  OF   THE   WOLVES. THE    UTE    MEDICINE-MAN. 

THE     INCANTATION. THE     DANCE-HOUSE. THE     BLACK 

WOLF    DIGS,    AND     WHAT    HE     FOUND.  A     SURPRISE.  — 

INDIAN    JUGGLERY. A    WONDERFUL    FEAT.  SPIRITUAL 

MEDIUMS. 

THE  wolves  were  a  tribe  of  Indians,  whom  the 
Great  Spirit  turned  into  their  present  form  on 
account  of  their  evil  deeds. 

The  chiefs  of  the  tribe,  who  were  cruel  and  blood- 
thirsty, became  the  fierce  black  or  timber  wolf, 
whose  home  is  in  the  mountains ;  the  braves  took 
the  shape  of  the  gaunt  and  hungry  gray,  and  made 
their  homes  in  the  dense  forests ;  while  the  squaws 
took  the  form  of  the  more  timid  and  harmless  coyote, 
or  prairie-wolf,  whose  home  is  upon  the  great 
plains. 

Instead,  however,  of  this -transformation  annihilat- 
ing the  bad  and  treacherous  tribe,  as  was  intended  by 
the  Great  Spirit,  they  were  immediately  taken  under 
the  protection  of  Haelse,  or  the  evil  spirit,  who  cher- 
ished them ''so  carefully  that  they  soon  began  to 

65 


66  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

thrive  and  to  increase  so  rapidly  that  they  were  able 
to  go  out  into  all  parts  of  the  earth. 

Once  upon  a  time  a  young  Ute  hunter,  who  was 
desirous  of  becoming  a  great  warrior,  went  out  into 
the  woods,  as  was  the  custom  of  the  braves  of  his 
tribe,  to  seek  and  consult  his  "  medicine." 

For  many  days  he  travelled  over  mountain  and 
plain,  without  finding  him  whom  he  sought.  At 
night  he  laid  himself  down  upon  the  bosom  of  the 
earth,  and  slept  without  dreaming  where  he  should 
find  him.  Still  he  persevered,  for  he  was  deter- 
mined to  become  a  great  warrior,  or  perish  without 
returning  to  his  tribe. 

One  night,  as  he  was  about  to  lay  himself  down  to 
his  dreamless  sleep  as  usual,  he  saw  far  above  him 
upon  the  side  of  the  mountain,  a  great  light  which 
he  determined  to  visit ;  approaching  it  he  found  a 
camp-fire  surrounded  by  wolves  who  were  recount- 
ing to  each  other  -their  exploits  of  the  day.  Con- 
cealing himself  close  by,  he  remained  and  listened, 
becoming  so  charmed  with  what  he  heard,  that  he  de- 
termined to  continue  with  them,  notwithstanding  the 
Great  Spirit  solemnly  warned  him  of  the  evil  conse- 
quences attendant  upon  such  a  decision.  So  infatu- 
ated did  the  young  brave  become  with  the  easy, 
pleasant  life  led  by  the  band,  that  the  following 
morning  he  joined  their  number,  and  from  that  time 
abode  with  them,  neglecting  not  alone  his  tribe,  but 
his  dearest  friends,  who  grieved  to  think  him  dead, 
and  sincerely  mourned  his  loss. 


THE   STORY   OF  THE  WOLVES.  67 

One  day  one  of  the  hunters  of  his  tribe,  who  was 
out  in  pursuit  of  game,  came  suddenly  upon  this 
band  of  wolves  travelling  along  the  mountain-side, 
and  immediately  recognized  the  friend  for  whom  he 
had  so  long  mourned. 

He  watched  him  for  a  long  time,  and  saw  that  he 
oftentimes  walked  erect  upon  two  legs,  but  more 
frequently  ran  upon  all  fours,  and  that  his  face  even 
had  become  shaped  like  that  of  a  wolf,  and  bore  so 
fierce  and  savage  an  expression  that  he  really  feared 
to  speak  to  him :  he  therefore  hastened  back  to  his 
friends,  and  reported  what  he  had  seen. 

Many  of  the  tribe  who  heard  the  report  doubted 
his  statement,  and  scouted  the  idea  of  their  friend 
being  found  in  such  bad  company ;  but  the  hunter 
insisted  so  earnestly  upon  the  truth  of  his  story,  the 
chiefs  finally  decided  to  send  out  and  attempt  to 
induce  the  renegade  to  return  to  his  home. 

They  therefore  called  upon  their  hunters  to  make 
strong  snares  of  deer's  sinews  which  they  set  in 
many  places  upon  the  side  of  the  mountain,  in  one 
of  which  they  finally  succeeded  in  entrapping  the 
wanderer,  hoping  thereby  to  restore  him  to  his  tribe. 

But,  alas  !  every  effort  was  fruitless,  every  kind 
intention  thwarted ;  for  the  warrior  not  only  refused 
to  recognize  or  speak  to  his  friends,  but  snapped  and 
snarled  and  bit  at  them  furiously,  as  though  he  were 
indeed  the  savage  creature  he  pretended  to  be. 

Upon  seeing  this,  the  old  men  called  a  council,  and, 
after  considering  the  matter  a  long  time,  decided 


68  CROSSING    THE    QUICKSANDS. 

that,  as  the  young  hunter's  nature  and  habits  had 
become  so  changed  by  association  with  the  outcast 
wolves,  it  was  far  better  for  the  tribe  as  well  as  him- 
self, that  he  should  be  forced  to  return  to  his  new 
friends,  and  be  forever  debarred  from  his  home  and 
those  who  had  loved  him  so  well. 

When  the  young  man  heard  this  terrible  sentence, 
he  realized  for  the  -first  time  the  frightful  conse- 
quences that  this  punishment  must  entail,  and  most 
piteously  besought  the  council  that  they  would  re- 
store him  to  his  forfeited  heritage ;  but  they  were 
inexorable,  declaring  that  he  should  immediately 
depart  from  among  them,  and  return  no  more,  lest 
his  example  should  be  followed  by  other  young  men 
of  the  tribe. 

The  renegade  departed,  bowed  down  with  sorrow 
and  grief,  and  was  nevermore  seen  by  any  of  his 
tribe,  who  rejoiced  greatly  at  his  absence,  since  they 
had  seen  for  themselves  that  "  evil  communications 
corrupt  good  manners." 

Once  in  each  year  the  "  Utes "  celebrate  this 
expulsion  of  the  renegade  by  a  dance  under  the 
auspices  of  the  "  medicine  "  of  the  tribe,  which  we 
were  'to  be  permitted  to  witness  that  evening, 
stranger  eyes  being  rarely  allowed  to  view  the  sol- 
emn ceremonies,  and  only  under  circumstances  that 
would  prevent  their  presence  being  known  to  the 
performers. 

After  it  began  to  grow  dark,  the  boys  and  myself 
(Sile  having  returned  to  camp)  were  quietly  con- 


THE    INCANTATION.  69 

ducted  to  the  rear  of  a  large  hut  situated  a  little 
distance  from  the  encampment  near  the  edge  of  the 
plain. 

It  was  composed  of  brush  and  reeds/  ingeniously 
wattled  together,  but  securely  covered  all  around  oil 
the  inside  with  mats,  and  was  much  larger  than  any 
other  lodge  in  the  encampment.  A  small  opening 
in  the  rear,  well  shielded  by  leaves,  had  been  left  in 
the  mats,  through  which  we  could  obtain  a  good 
view  of  every  thing  that  transpired  within,  without 
being  seen  ourselves. 

After  we  were  fairly  ensconced  in  our  hiding-place 
the  old  man  left  us,  with  many  injunctions  in  no  case 
to  discover  ourselves,  whatever  we  might  see  ;  say- 
ing that  the  braves  were  gone  out  to  prepare  for  the 
celebration :  after  leaving  us,  he  stopped  for  a 
moment  to  light  a  fire  before  the  entrance  to  the 
hut,  and  then  departed. 

It  was  a  beautiful  night :  the  rising  moon  cast  a 
pale,  weird  light  over  the  emerald-green  plain  that 
stretched  out  before  us  into  illimitable  space ;  over 
the  dark,  sombre  forest  behind  us,  from  out  which 
the  smoke  from  a  dozen  camp-fires  lazily  ascended, 
settling  over  the  tree-tops,  and  resembling  a  bank  of 
beautiful  blue  clouds ;  over  the  placid  surface  of  the 
little  lake,  which  was  undisturbed  by  a  single  rip- 
ple, and  looked  like  a  beautiful  mirror,  silvered  by 
God's  own  hand,  and  set  in  Nature's  chaste  frame ; 
while  the  lurid  glare  of  the  fire,  now  burning 
brightly,  lighted  up  our  more  immediate  surround- 


70  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

ing  with  a  ruddy  glow  that  brought  into  bold  relief 
the  shadow  cast  by  every  branch  and  twig  in  the 
structure  before  us. 

No  sound  disturbed  the  stillness  that  reigned 
about  us,  save  the  crackling  of  the  burning  wood, 
and  the  shrill  note  of  some  cuckoo  from  out  the 
depths  of  the  forest. 

Suddenly  the  boys  called  my  attention  to  a  num- 
ber of  dark,  half-developed  objects  moving  slowly 
over  the  plain ;  while  we  were  lost  in  conjecture  as 
to  what  they  were,  we  saw  them  approaching  the 
hut ;  and  in  a  short  time  the  light  of  the  fire  revealed 
about  thirty  warriors  clad  from  top  to  toe  in  wolf- 
skins, who  sneaked  into  the  hut  in  single  file  upon 
all  fours,  howling,  growling,  snapping,  snarling,  and 
biting  at  one  another,  imitating  the  movements  of 
the  animal  itself  so  perfectly  that  we  had  hard  work 
to  persuade  ourselves  that  the  scene  was  not  a  real- 
ity. 

After  passing  several  times  around  the  enclosure 
with  their  noses  to  the  ground,  sniffing  and  smell- 
ing in  every  direction,  we  observed  one  very  large 
black  wolf1  quietly  enter,  and,  after  passing  once  or 
twice  around  the  circle,  suddenly  give  a  quick  sharp 
yelp,  and  with  his  hands  commence  scratching  a 
hole  in  the  earth. 

The  next  moment  the  entire  pack  were  fighting 
one  another,  growling,  yelping,  and  uttering  the 
shrillest  cries ;  apparently  all  anxious  to  join  the 

1  The  medicine-iii  an  of  the  tribe. 


A  SURPRISE.  71 

black  wolf  in  digging,  yet  by  their  very  anxiety 
depriving  themselves  of  the  coveted  task. 

While  this  was  going  on,  the  black  wolf  kept 
steadily  at  his  work,  and  finally,  to  our  amazement, 
succeeded  in  exhuming  a  full-grown  naked  Indian, 
who,  upon  being  dragged  to  the  surface,  soon  gave 
unmistakable  signs  of  life. 

And  now  commenced  a  scene,  the  like  of  which  I 
never  before  witnessed.  The  wolves  commenced 
sniffing  and  smelling  of  the  new-comer's  person, 
elevating  their  noses  in  the  air,  uttering  shrill  cries, 
snarling  and  snapping,  pawing  the  fresh  earth,  and 
indulging  the  grossest  and  most  obscene  gestures, 
until,  under  the  protection  of  the  black  wolf,  the 
Indian  was  conducted  outside  the  hut. 

The  next  moment  the  "  medicine-man "  re-ap- 
peared ;  silence  was  instantly  restored,  the  wolves 
seating  themselves  upon  their  haunches  in  a  circle 
about  the  hut,  while  he,  taking  a  position  in  the  cen- 
tre, seated  himself  in  like  manner,  and,  elevating  his 
nose  high  in  the  air,  uttered  a  most  piercing  and  pro- 
longed howl ;  soon  two  Indians  entered,  bringing 
with  them  a  tall  covered  basket,  made  of  sedge  or 
coarse  lake  grass,  out  of  which  stepped  the  Indian 
previously  exhumed.  A  short  snarling  yelp  was  now 
uttered  in  chorus.  When  the  man  again  retired  to 
the  basket,  the  cover  was  adjusted ;  and,  after  a  lapse 
of  a  few  moments,  the  basket  was  turned  bottom 
upwards  and  lifted,  when,  to  our  amazement,  nothing 
but  a  pile  of  "feathers  was  visible,  which  by  a  dex- 


72  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

terous  movement  of  the  medicine-man's  hands  were 
sent  flying  in  all  directions. 

And  now  commenced  one  of  those  peculiar  con- 
certs often  heard  by  the  traveller  upon  the  plains, 
where  seemingly  a  hundred  wolves  have  assembled 
together  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  night  hide- 
ous ;  chattering,  barking,  snarling,  howling,  yelling, 
screeching,  and  growling,  —  in  the  midst  of  which 
the  medicine-man  and  his  basket  disappeared ;  and 
shortly  the  entire  pack,  one  by  one,  sneaked  out  of 
the  hut  as  though  they  were  thoroughly  ashamed  of 
the  part  they  had  borne  in  the  celebration  ;  but  it 
was  only  to  meet  one  another  around  the  bright  fires 
that  were  now  burning  upon  the  plain,  when  the 
tribe  were  all  to  join  in  the  festivities  of  the  dance. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    MYSTIC   RITE. THE  WOLF-DANCE.  A    PICTURE. 

OUR    RETURN    TO    CAMP. HAL    AND    NED. SILE   EX- 
PLAINS MEDICINE-MEN, WHO  AND  WHAT  THEY  ARE. 

INDIAN  SKILL  IN  SHOOTING.  HAL'S  OFFER. WHY  HE 

DIDN'T  SET  UP  HIS  HAT. 

IT  was  with  difficulty  that  I  persuaded  the  boys  to 
quietly  remain  in  our  place  of  concealment  until 
the  old  man  returned,  so  anxious  were  they  to  have 
him  explain  the  meaning  of  the  wonderful  sights 
they  had  witnessed.  When  he  came,  however,  he 
proved  to  be  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  mystic 
rites,  himself,  that  he  could  make  neither  an  impar- 
tial nor  intelligible  interpretation. 

They  were  therefore  obliged  to  wait  until  our 
return  to  camp,  when  we  hoped  that  Sile  would  be 
able  to  elucidate  the  mystery  to  our  satisfaction. 

Meanwhile  the  sound  of  the  drums  and  rattles 
called  all  hands  to  the  locality  where  the  entire  vil- 
lage had  assembled  to  witness  the  dance.  Immedi- 
ately upon  reaching  the  place,  the  old  man  assigned 
us  seats  upon  the  ground,  in  a  convenient  position, 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  principal  fire,  around 

73 


74  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

which  were  gathered  the  braves,  still  arrayed  in  their 
wolf-skin  dress.  Here  we  were  to  await  the  begin- 
ning of  the  performance. 

I  had  hardly  taken  my  seat  before  I  missed  the 
boys,  who,  however,  returned  in  a  short  time  with 
the  information  that  they  had  been  to  see  the  music, 
which  was  made  by  beating  upon  dried  hides  spread 
upon  the  ground,  and  shaking  gourds  containing 
pebbles  and  shells. 

These  explanations  were  cut  short  at  this  juncture 
by  the  appearance  of  the  black  wolf,  or  "  medicine- 
man," who  gravely  walked  upon  all  fours  into  the 
centre  of  the  circle ;  and  then,  standing  erect,  began 
a  slow,  dignified  dance,  consisting  more  in  a  wrig- 
gling motion  of  the  body,  —  peering  about  as  though 
in  search  of  some  hidden  object,  and  imitating  the 
movements  of  a  wolf,  all  the  while  keeping  time  to 
the  music,  —  than  any  dancing. 

One  after  another  the  braves  joined  in,  until 
finally  the  entire  band  were  jumping  about  the 
fire,  and  shaking  their  rattles  furiously  to  the  time 
marked  by  the  drums,  all  the  while  singing  in  a  low, 
monotonous  tone.  As  the  dance  continued,  they 
grew  more  and  more  excited,  the  musicians  every 
moment  beating  faster  and  faster  time,  until  the  en- 
tire party  seemed  to  have  become  frantic  in  their 
exertions  to  outdo  each  other. 

It  was  a  strange,  weird  picture  :  the  boundless  ex- 
panse of  plain  and  forest  appeared  like  a  sombre 
back-ground,  bringing  into  startling  prominence  the" 


OUR  RETURN  TO   CAMP.  75 

hideous  forms,  upon  which  the  bright  light  from  the 
fire  cast  a  lurid  glare ;  revealing  with  wonderful 
fidelity  the  grotesque  and  extravagant  movements  of 
the  dancers,  over  whom  the  black  smoke  had  settled 
like  a  huge  funeral-pall,  through  which  the  pale  face 
of  the  full  moon  dimly  shone  with  an  almost  un- 
earthly light,  creating  a  scene  so  uncanny  and  wild 
that  I  could  associate  it  with  nothing  but  Tain 
O'  Shanter's  strange  dance  in  "Alloway's  auld 
haunted  kirk."  It  was  a  sight,  when  once  seen, 
never  to  be  forgotten. 

At  midnight  the  dancing  was  as  vigorous  as  early 
in  the  evening ;  for,  as  the  performers  one  after 
another  became  exhausted,  their  places  were  imme- 
diately filled  from  among  the  spectators,  and  the 
wild  orgies  thus  kept  up  until  daylight  ended  the 
scenes  the  following  morning.  After  we  had  ridden 
miles  over  the  broad  moonlit  prairies,  on  our  way 
towards  camp,  the  sound  of  the  rude  drums  could 
be  distinctly  heard  upon  the  still  evening  air ;  nor 
was  it  until  we  had  descended  into  the  little  valley 
where  our  camp  was  located,  that  we  no  longer 
heard  it. 

We  found  Sile  sitting  by  the  smouldering  fire, 
smoking  his  pipe,  and  patiently  waiting  our  return. 
As  we  rode  up,  I  said,  "  Well,  Sile,  you  hadn't  begun 
to  be  alarmed  about  us,  I  hope." 

"  Oh,  no !  I  knowed  thar  warn't  nothin'  tew  be 
'fraid  of  'niong  them  no-'count  Injuns,"  was  his 
reply. 


76  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  No-account  Injuns,"  repeated  Hal  in  a  most  con- 
temptuous tone :  "  they  can  do  more  things  than 
any  white  man  I  ever  saw.  If  they're  no  account,  I'd 
like  to  know  where  you  find  any  who  are  of  ac- 
count. Why,  we  saw  them  dig  a  live  Injun  out  of 
the  ground,  and  then  turn  him  into  feathers  that 
flew  all  about  the  lodge." 

"Not  really,  Hal,"  interrupted  Ned. 

"  Yes,  really,"  declared  Hal.  "  I  saw  him  do  it 
with  my  own  eyes :  there  wasn't  a  bit  of  humbug- 
ging. I'm  too  smart  not  to  know  when  I'm  sold." 

"  But  you  don't  really  mean  that  he  truly  turned 
the  man  into  feathers  ?  "  said  Ned  in  a  tone  of  in- 
quiry: "he  only  seemed  to.  It  was  a  trick;  wasn't 
it,  Sile  ?  "  % 

"  I  guess  it  was,  and  a  pretty  'cute  one  at  that, 
from  your  tell ;  but  you  boys  had  better  go  ter  bed 
now,  and  in  the  mornin'  I'll  hear  all  about  it;"  then 
turning  to  me,  he  remarked,  "  I'm  'feard  we  sha'n't 
be  able  tew  git  started  in  the  mornin' :  that  ere  lame 
mule  ought  tew  hev  another  day's  rest  afore  he's  fit 
tew  travel." 

"  All  right,  Sile.  A  day  more  or  less  don't  mat- 
ter much :  so  we'll  be  on  the  safe  side,  and  let  him 
rest." 

"  Hurrah,  hurrah ! "  exclaimed  the  boys  in  con- 
cert. "  We  can  go  over  to  the  camp  again  to-mor- 
row." 

"  Well,  boys,  you  won't  go  anywhere  to-morrow 
unless  you  go  to  bed  now,"  said  I ;  "so  off  with 
you." 


SILE   EXPLAINS   MEDICINE-MEN.  77 

"  And  don't  let  the  moon  shine  in  your  faces  after 
yeou  git  ter  sleep,"  shouted  Sile. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

44  'Cause  we  don't  want  yer  any  more  lazy  than 
yer  be  neow,"  was  the  reply.  The  boys  hurried  to 
spread  their  blankets,  and  were  soon  fast  asleep. 

"  Now,  Sile,  we  want  you  to  explain  the  wolf- 
dance  for  us,"  said  Ned  the  following  morning  when 
Sile  made  his  appearance  for  breakfast. 

"  I  dunno  what  to  explain,"  said  Sile,  whereupon 
the  boys  went  on,  and  gave  him  a  very  correct  ac- 
count of  all  they  witnessed  the  previous  evening, 
ending  with,  "  Now  tell  us  where  that  Indian  came 
from." 

44  Out  er  the  airth,  of  course,"  responded  Sile. 
"  Couldn't  yer  see  that  for  yourselves  ?  "  asked  he 
facetiously. 

"  There,  Ned,  that's  just  what  I  told  you,"  said 
Hal.  "  I  knew  there  couldn't  be  any  trick  about  it, 
for  I  saw  him  dug  out  with  my  own  eyes." 

44  Well,  where  did  he  go  to,  then  ? "  demanded 
Ned. 

44  Went  intew  the  basket,  and  was  turned  intew 
feathers,  of  course,"  responded  Sile. 

44  There,  Ned,  I  hope  that  satisfies  you.  You  said 
'twas  nothing  but  a  trick ;  but  I  knew  better.  That 
was  a  genuine  live  Indian :  didn't  I  see  him  breathe, 
with  my  own  eyes  ?  "  said  Hal. 

44  Do  you  think  he  was  really  turned  into  feath- 
ers?" asked  Ned,  appealing  to  me. 


78  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"No,  Ned:  it  was  a  mere  trick,"  was  my  reply, 
"  a  simple  sleight-of-hand  performance,  such  as  In- 
dian jugglers  have  frequently  been  known  to  do 
before." 

"  Sile  don't  think  it  was  a  trick,  do  you  ?  "  asked 
Hal. 

"  'Twa'n't  nothin'  else  but  a  trick,  of  course.  I 
didn't  'spose  yeou  was  in  airnest  when  you  was  askin' 
'bout  it  afore,"  responded  Sile. 

"  But  they  didn't  get  up  the  thing  for  our  benefit, 
and  I  don't  see  what  object  the  man  had  in  fooling 
his  own  people,"  persisted  Hal. 

"  Listen,  Hal,"  said  I.  "  These  Indians  are  the 
most  superstitious  people  in  the  world.  All  the 
Western  tribes  believe  in  medicine-men  ;  i.e.,  men 
who  are  supposed  to  possess  some  kind  of  super- 
natural power,  but  who  are  generally  the  most  un- 
principled and  sharpest  fellows  in  the  tribe,  who, 
imposing  upon  the  credulity  of  the  superstitious, 
manage  to  be  supported  in  idleness.  You  saw  an 
instance  last  night,  when  the  4  medicine '  permitted 
us  to  witness  the  ceremony,  or  wolf-dance,  contrary 
to  the  rules  of  the  tribe :  the  promise  of  a  pair  of 
red  blankets  won  his  permission  to  be  present,  and 
nothing  else." 

"  Yes,  and  here  comes  the  old  man  for  his  pay," 
said  Sile,  pointing  to  three  Indians  approaching  in 
the  distance. 

"  That's  bully  !  "  cried  Ned.  "  Now  we'll  make 
him  tell  us  all  about  it,  before  he  gets  it." 


INDIAN   SKILL   IN   SHOOTING.  79 

"  Scarcely,  Ned.  We  promised  him  certain  things, 
if  he  would  obtain  permission  for  us  to  remain  and 
see  the  dance.  He  did  that,  consequently  is  honestly 
entitled  to  the  articles  promised,  without  further 
conditions  ;  so  go  and  get  them  for  him." 

44  That's  right,  squire.  I've  allus  found  that  if 
yeou  treat  them  fellers  as  yeou  agree  tew,  they  ain't 
half  so  likely  tew  make  yeou  trouble.  A  man  don't 
lose  nothin'  in  this  world  by  bein'  honest,  yeou  bet ! 
Them  fellers  hev  got  their  bows  with  'em  :  we'll  hev 
some  shootin'  p'r'aps." 

44  I'll  shoot  with  'em,"  cried  Hal.  "  I'm  almost  as 
good  a  shot  with  a  bow  as  I  am  with  a  rifle." 

"  By  the  way,  Sile,  speaking  of  shooting  reminds 
me  that  we  have  never  seen  you  shoot  yet.  Are  you 
a  pretty  good  shot  ?  "  said  I. 

"  I  ain't  nothin'  tew  brag  on,  though  I  gin'rally 
manage  to  git  the  game  I  shoot  at,"  was  the  reply. 

44  Why  can't  we  shoot  at  a  mark  some  day  ?  " 
inquired  Hal.  4i  I'd  like  to  try  Sile  a  whack  with 
my  revolver." 

44  All  right,  sonny.  I'll  shoot  with  yer  any  time 
yeou  want  tew  try  it." 

By  this  time  the  Indians  were  in  camp ;  and,  after 
shaking  hands  all  around,  Ned  presented  them  with 
the  promised  articles,  adding  thereto  a  string  of  blue 
beads  for  his  squaw. 

Our  gaests  were  evidently  delighted  ;  and,  after  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  different  things,  the  old 
man  announced  that  we  were  44  berry  good ;  white 


80  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

man  heap,"  —  a  decision  to  which  his  companions 
grunted  a  seeming  approval. 

"  Now  you're  here,"  said  Ned  to  the  old  man,  "  we 
want  to  see  you  shoot  some,"  placing  his  hands  upon 
the  bow,  and  making  a  motion  as  of  drawing  it. 
"  Do  you  understand  ?  " 

"  Umph  !  you  want  see  shoot,  eh  ?  "  And,  turning 
to  one  of  his  companions,  he  spoke  a  few  words  in 
his  native  tongue. 

The  Indian  laughed,  and,  selecting  an  arrow  from 
his  wolf-skin  quiver,  carelessly  fitted  it  to  the  bow- 
string, and  held  it  pointing  to  the  ground,  while  the 
old  man  said,  — 

"  What  for  shoot,  eh  ?  " 

"  I  guess  he  wants  some  one  tew  set  up  a  mark  for 
him,"  remarked  Sile.  "  Hev  yeou  got  a  old  envelope, 
squire  ?  " 

While  I  was  hunting  in  my  pocket  for  one,  Hal 
shouted,  "  I'll  set  up  my  hat ;  I  ain't  afraid  of  his 
hitting  it  at  sixty-yards." 

"  All  right,  Hal :  go  and  set  it  up,"  said  I.  "  You 
take  the  risk,  will  you  ?  " 

"  I'll  risk  it,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  don't  believe  he 
can  hit  it." 

Hal  started  to  measure  off  the  requisite  distance ; 
but  just  before  he  reached  the  point  a  large-eared 
rabbit 1  sprang  up  almost  from  beneath  the  boy's  feet, 
and  with  a  tremendous  leap  darted  away  over  the 
plain,  as  though  shod  with  the  wings  of  the  wind. 

1  More  commonly  known  as  the  "imile"  rabbit,  so  called  on 
account  of  its  enormous  ears. 


HAL'S  OFFER.  81 

At  the  same  instant  I  heard  the  twang  of  the  bow- 
string, and,  turning,  saw  that  the  Indian  had  fired. 
Before  I  fully  realized  that  he  had  shot  at  the  rabbit, 
Hal  picked  it  up,  and  holding  it  by  its  great  ears 
shouted,  "  It  went  clear  through  it :  I  ain't  going  to 
set  up  my  hat." 

While  we  were  laughing  at  this  sudden  change  of 
opinion,  the  Indian  had  fitted  another  arrow  to  his 
string,  and  again  sent  it  clear  through  the  rabbit's 
body  which  Hal  was  holding  out  at  arm's-length  for 
us  to  examine. 

As  the  arrow  struck  it,  Hal  as  suddenly  dropped 
it,  and  in  a  bewildered  sort  of  way  looked  first  at  us 
and  then  at  the  rabbit,  finally  exclaiming,  — 

44  What  did  that,  I'd  like  to  know  ?  " 

44  He  s'posed  yeow  was  a-holdin'  it  out  for  him  tew 
shoot  again,"  said  Sile.  44  Pick  it  up  and  bring  it  in." 

44  Not  much  !  "  replied  the  boy.  44  If  you  want  it 
brought  in,  bring  it  yourself:  /don't  touch  it  again." 
And  Hal  hastily  strode  towards  us,  with  a  face  as 
white  as  a  sheet. 


CHAPTER  X. 

DANGEROUS    SHOOTING. REVOLVERS  VS.  ARROWS,  HAI/S 

TRIAL    OF   SKILL.  COMANCHE    SHOOTING.  WHAT  THE 

GREAT      SPIRIT      DID.  OUR     VISITORS*     DEPARTURE.  

VAMOSE. GETTING   READY   FOR   A    START. 

"  T  TELL  you  what  it  is,  Sile  Carter,  I  don't  like 

J-  such  jokes  as  that,"  exclaimed  Hal  angrily. 
u  He  might  have  hit  me  instead  of  the  rabbit.  Such 
shooting  is  dangerous." 

"  Dangerous  ?  Why,  he  didn't  shoot  at  you,"  re- 
plied Sile. 

"  He  might  have  hit  me  though,  if  he  didn't :  the 
arrow  passed  within  two  inches  of  my  face." 

"  Then  I  don't  see  how  he  hit  the  rabbit ;  for  you 
was  holding  it  at  arm's-length,"  said  Sile. 

"  Well,  it  might  not  have  been  two  inches ;  but  it 
was  pretty  near,  any  way,"  said  Hal. 

"  Well,  Hal,  the  question  is,  do  you  want  a  trial 
of  skill  with  either  of  these  Indians?"  said  I,  taking 
one  of  the  bows  in  my  hand. 

"  No,  sir.  I  won't  shoot  against  them  with  their 
own  weapons  ;  of  course  they'd  beat  me  :  but  I'll 
shoot  my  revolver  with  'em." 

82 


REVOLVERS   VS.   ARROWS.  83 

"  They  never  fired  a  revolver  in  their  lives  ;  and  I 
heard  you  say  you  could  shoot  a  bow  almost  as  well 
as  you  could  your  pistol.  Now,  if  this  is  so,  your 
proposition  is  not  a  fair  one." 

"  Well,  I  won't  shoot  with  their  bows,  any  way," 
declared  Hal. 

"Won't  you  let  me  see  the  bow  a  minute,  please?" 
asked  Ned.  "  What  is  it  made  of  ?  " 

"  This  one  appears  to  be  made  of  cypress,  wound 
about  the  middle  with  sinew,"  said  I.  "  The  string 
is  also  sinew,  and  the  arrows  are  made  of  reeds 
pointed  with  obsidian." 

"  What  is  obsidian  ?  "  inquired  Ned ;  "  and  where 
does  it  come  from  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  kind  of  native  glass,  or  lava,  and  is  found 
in  all  those  parts  of  the  country  that  are  of  volcanic 
formation.  It  has  been  used  by  the  Indians  of  this 
region  for  more  than  three  hundred  years  for  arrow- 
heads." 

"  How  does  any  one  know  that  for  a  fact?  "  que- 
ried Hal. 

"  All  the  old  Spanish  explorers,  including  Coronado, 
who  visited  this  country  in  1540,  speak  of  its  use." 

"  Do  you  suppose  those  Indians  could  shoot  as 
well  as  these  do  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"  I  know  of  no  reason  to  doubt  the  fact,"  said  I. 

"  Pshaw  !  That  fellow's  shooting  was  more  than 
half  luck.  I'll  bet  he  couldn't  do  it  again,"  remarked 
Hal. 

"  I  wouldn't  like  to  bet  that  he  couldn't,  would 
you,  Sile  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 


84  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  I  guess,  if  I  was  a-goin'  to  bet,  'twould  be  on 
your  side,  sonny,"  answered  Sile.  "  I've  seed  some 
of  them  Injuns  that  would  shoot  'stonishin'." 

"  I'm  not  afraid  to  shoot  my  pistol  against  his  bow 
and  arrow,  at  sixty-five  yards,"  declared  Hal. 

"Oh!  won't  that  be  jolly?"  cried  Ned.  "Let's 
have  a  shoot !  let's  have  a  shoot !  I'll  back  Hal." 

"  No  :  there  shall  be  no  backing  about  it,"  inter- 
rupted I.  "If  the  Indian  with  his  bow  beats  Hal 
with  the  pistol,  Hal  shall  give  him  a  new  pair  of 
blankets ;  and,  if  Hal  beats,  he  shall  have  the  In- 
dian's bow,  arrows,  and  wolf-skin  quiver  —  each  one 
to  have  three  shots." 

The  preliminaries  agreed  to,  Sile  and  Ned  pro- 
ceeded to  measure  off  sixty-five  yards.  Sile  then 
cut  a  stick  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  and,  after  peel- 
ing it,  set  it  firmly  in  the  ground  about  two  feet  in 
front  of  the  trunk  of  a  large  live-oak,  which  served 
as  an  admirable  background  to  bring  the  mark  out 
into  bold  relief. 

Sile  then  tossed  up  for  the  choice  of  shots,  which 
Hal  won,  selecting  the  last;  whereupon  the  Indian, 
without  the  least  hesitation,  took  his  position,  and, 
fitting  an  arrow  to  the  string,  discharged  it  with  but 
apparently  little  effort :  we  saw  the  stick  quiver ; 
and  the  next  instant,  with  a  grunt  of  dissatisfaction, 
he  again  shot.  This  time  the  arrow  struck  the  mark 
in  the  centre,  splitting  the  stick,  passing  handsomely 
through  it,  and  remaining  imbedded  in  the  trunk  of 
the  tree. 


PAI  YUTE   SHOOTING.  85 

Before  we  had  time  to  express  our  admiration  at 
the  excellence  of  the  shot,  the  twang  of  the  bow- 
string announced  the  third  shot:  an  arrow  once 
more  cleft  the  stick  in  twain,  and  again  imbedded 
itself  in  the  trunk  of  the  oak,  about  two  inches 
above  the  other. 

It  was  wonderful  shooting :  we  all  acknowledged 
that,  and  Hal  freely  declared  that  he  could  neither 
expect  nor  hope  to  beat  it ;  still  he  took  his  position, 
and,  slowly  bringing  his  navy  revolver  up  to  the 
required  level,  fired.  The  bark  flew  from  the  trunk 
of  the  tree,  but  the  mark  was  untouched.  Again 
and  again  did  the  boy  repeat  the  shot,  without  touch- 
ing the  stick ;  and  the  Indian  was  finally  declared  to 
have  honestly  earned  his  blankets,  which  were  forth- 
with handed  to  him. 

"  I  don't  care  if  he  did  beat  me,"  said  Hal :  "  I 
did  the  best  I  could ;  but  no  one  at  that  distance 
could  beat  one  of  these  fellows  with  a  bow  and 
arrow." 

"  That's  true,  Hal ;  but  it  was  your  own  proposi- 
tion to  shoot  at  that  distance  and  in  that  manner. 
You  asserted  that  you  could  beat  him  even  then," 
said  I.  "  You've  had  a  fair  trial,  and  been  badly 
beaten  ;  now,  don't  let  us  hear  you  brag  about  your 
shooting  again.  There's  nothing  that  so  be-littles  a 
young  man,  as  to  hear  him  boast  of  being  competent 
to  do  that  which,  upon  a  test,  he  shows  himself 
unable  to  perform." 

"  I  think  Hal  shot  first-rate,"  said  Ned.  "  He 
can  beat  me  all  to  pieces." 


86  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  Hal  shoots  very  well,"  was  my  reply  ;  "  but  that 
is  not  the  question :  he  asserted  that  he  could  do  a 
certain  thing,  without  reflecting  that  he  knew  noth- 
ing about  it." 

"  Yeou  did  some  purty  good  shootin',  sonny,  but 
'twa'n't  good  enuff,  was  it?  These  Injuns  are  at 
home  with  the  bow  and  arrow.  I've  seen  some  of 
'em  that  would  beat  these  fellers  all  tew  pieces, 
'specially  among  the  Comanches  down  in  Texas," 
remarked  Sile. 

"  Pooh  !  the  Comanches  can't  begin  to  shoot  with 
these  fellows,"  asserted  Hal.  "I  know  all  about 
their  shooting." 

"  I  once  seed  a  party  of  twenty  on  'em  on  hoss- 
back,"  continued  Sile,  without  heeding  Hal's  inter- 
ruption, "  a-shootin'  at  a  target  about  eighteen  inches 
in  diameter,  made  of  dressed  buffalo-hide  stretched 
on  a  rim  of  wood,  and  fastened  tew  a  lance  that  was 
stuck  in  the  ground.  They  passed  within  about 
fifty  paces  of  it,  their  bosses  on  the  keen  run  ;  and 
as  each  one  on  'em  rid  by,  he  let  off  an  arrow  from 
under  his  boss's  neck,  and  then  they  turned  quick- 
er'n  lightnin',  and,  shiftin'  over  to  t'other  side  of  their 
bosses,  fired  agin'  at  long  range.  When  they  got 
threw,  I  counted  seventeen  arrer-holes  in  the  target 
out  of  the  twenty  that  had  bin  fired  at  it.  I  called 
that  good  shootin'." 

"  It  certainly  beats  any  thing  that  I've  ever  seen 
done  with  the  bow  and  arrow ;  but  I  suppose  Hal 
would  not  call  it  very  good  shooting,"  said  I. 


WHAT   THE   GREAT   SPIRIT   DID.  87 

"  Well,  I  never  saw  them  shoot  any  thing  like  as 
well  as  that,"  declared  Hal. 

"  You've  seen  but  very  little  as  yet,  Hal,  and, 
before  you're  many  years  older,  you  will  think  so 
yourself.  But  come,  these  Indians  are  getting  ready 
to  go  back  to  their  camp :  if  you  want  to  ride  over 
with  them,  now's  your  chance." 

"  I  believe  I  don't  want  to  go,"  remarked  Ned. 

"  Nor  I  either,"  said  Hal :  "  only  I'd  like  to  know 
where  that  Indian  they  dug  up,  came  from." 

"  Well,  ask  the  old  man,"  said  I :  "  perhaps  he 
can  tell  you." 

"  Where  did  the  medicine-man  get  the  Indian  he 
dug  out  of  the  ground  ?  "  inquired  the  boy  of  the 
old  Indian. 

"  Great  Spirit  bring  him  :  tell  medicine  where  find 
him,"  was  the  answer.  "  Medicine  big  Injun,  heap  ; " 
and  the  old  man  turned  away  with  the  air  of  a  per- 
son thoroughly  convincedxthat  there  could  be  no 
further  question  as  to  the  medicine-man's  power. 

"  That's 'bout  as  much  satisfaction  as  anybody  ever 
gets  out  er  one  of  them  fellers :  they  all  on  'em  think 
their  own  medicine  kin  dew  any  thing  in  this  world, 
and  yew  can't  beat  'em  out  of  it  either.  I  guess 
they've  got  all  they  come  for,  and,  as  we  sha'n't  be 
likely  tew  want  any  thing  out  er  them,  they  may  as 
well  go  back  tew  their  own  camp  ;  "  and,  taking 
one  of  them  by  the  shoulder,  Sile  led  him  a  short 
distance,  and  then,  pointing  towards  their  camp, 
uttered  the  single  word  " vamose"  and  the  three 
visitors  departed  without  further  adieu. 


88  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

44  There,"  said  Sile,  as  soon  as  they  were  fairly  off, 
44  we  shaVt  see  any  more  of  them  fellers  ter-day,  so 
I'll  begin  and  git  ready  for  a  start  in  the  mornin' ; 
we  ought  tew  make  twenty  miles  ter-morrow,  sartin." 

44  Where'll  that  bring  us  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

44  Well,  if  nothin'  happens,  I  mean  tew  stop  at  old 
Berella's  cattle-ranch  ter-morrow  night :  you'll  see  a 
genuine  old  Spanish  ranch  then;  the  old  man  owns 
nigh  about  twenty  thousand  acres  of  land,  and  has 
lots  of  cattle  and  Injuns." 

44  He  don't  own  the  Indians,  does  he  ?  "  inquired 
Hal. 

44  Not  exactly,  but  he  might  as  well :  they're  just 
like  the  peons  in  Mexico  ;  he  gives  'em  four  or  five 
dollars  a  month,  an'  they  trade  at  his  store  ;  an'  as 
long  as  they  owe  him  any  thing  they  can't  leave  his 
employ ;  that's  nigh  'bout  as  good  as  ownin'  'em, 
cause  they're  so  lazy  and  shiftless,  they  never  pay 
out  er  debt." 

44  How  many  Indians  has  he  got  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

44 1  'spose  fifty  or  seventy-five,"  was  the  reply. 
44  You'll  see  for  yourselves  when  you  git  thar ;  but  I 
want  you  boys  ter  come  and  look  over  the  pack- 
saddles  with  me  now.  I  don't  want  ter  start  agin 
till  they've  bin  overhauled." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

AN    OLD    CALIFORNIA    RANCH. — THE    PROPRIETOR    AND    HIS 

PEOPLE. HIS      HOUSE. HIS     POSSESSIONS. A     MOST 

WONDERFUL     EXHIBITION    OF    SKILL   WITH   THE    LASSO.  

SUPERIOR      HORSEMANSHIP.  THE       DON       SAYS        IT      IS 

NOTHING.  ONCE     MORE     ON    THE     ROAD.  OUR    TRAIL 

FORKS.  NO-ACCOUNT    PEOPLE. ADDIOS. 

OUNRISE  on  the  following  morning  found  us  once 
rO  again  on  the  road,  and  after  a  somewhat  tedious 
ride  of  twenty  miles  we  came  in  sight  of  the  cattle- 
ranch  of  Don  Anastacio  Berella,  a  wealthy  New 
Mexican,  who  had  been  in  California  nearly  thirty 
years,  and  was  the  owner  of  several  thousand  horses, 
ten  thousand  sheep,  and  as  many  more  cattle  ;  to 
say  nothing  of  the  twenty  thousand  acres  of  land 
claimed  to  have  been  granted  by  some  emperor  of 
old  Spain  to  the  ancestors  of  some  other  Don  two 
hundred  years  before. 

As  we  rode  towards  the  ranch,  we  had  a  fine  view 
of  it  and  its  surroundings. 

The  house  was  of  adobe*  i.e.,  of  sun-dried  brick, 

1  Adobes  are  made  of  mud  in  which  cut  straw  has  been  mixed : 
this  material  is  pressed  into  moulds  eighteen  inches  long  by  about 
ten  wide,  and  four  thick ;  they  are  then  dried  in  the  sun. 

89 


90  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

and,  like  most  houses  of  that  kind,  was  of  one  story. 
It  was  built  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square,  into 
which  the  rooms  all  opened.  There  were  but  two 
windows  visible,  and  these  were  protected  on  the 
outside  by  horizontal  iron  bars,  and  from  the  inside 
by  stout  wooden  shutters  ;  the  only  entrance  from 
the  front  being  through  large  double  doors^  of  suf- 
ficient size  to  permit  the  ingress  and  egress  of  the 
Don's  carriage  and  horses. 

Just  behind  the  house  was  a  long  range  of  adobe 
buildings  in  which  his  Indians  lived ;  near  to  these 
was  a  large  Mexican  oven,  conical  in  shape,  and 
elevated  upon  posts  about  three  feet  above  the  ground, 
looking  not  unlike  a  huge  bee-hive ;  while  in  close 
proximity  was  the  coral,  its  walls,  about  eight  feet 
in  height,  being  also  constructed  of  adobe. 

As  we  drew  near,  Sile  pointed  out  Don  Anastacio, 
who  was  standing  near  the  entrance  to  the  coral, 
conversing  with  some  of  "  his  people  "  as  he  termed 
them. 

He  was  a  man  about  fifty  years  of  age,  very  portly 
and  tall,  and,  like  all  native  New  Mexicans,  with  a 
very  dark  complexion,  and  long  jet-black  hair :  he 
was  dressed  in  a  light  pink  calico  shirt,  with  pants 
of  blue  jean,  heavily  ornamented  upon  the  outside 
of  the  leg  with  little  silver  buttons  ;  around  his 
waist  was  a  scarlet  silk  sash ;  upon  his  feet,  boots 
with  a  pair  of  enormous  Spanish  spurs ;  and  upon  his 
head,  a  broad-brimmed,  low-crowned,  stiff  hat,  of 
Mexican  manufacture. 


A   STOCK-KANCH.  91 

As  we  rode  up,  he  bid  us  a  courteous  Buenas  tardes  ;l 
to  which  Sile  responded  in  English ;  briefly  asking 
permission  for  our  party  to  encamp  near  the  ranch. 
He  at  once  yielded  a  ready  assent,  adding  that  he 
should  be  pleased  to  consider  us  his  guests  as  long  as 
we  could  be  content  to  accept  his  poor  hospitality. 

Our  animals  were  soon  unfastened,  and  sent  to 
the  coral,  the  muleteers  to  the  Indian  quarters,  and 
ourselves  invited  into  the  house.  One  of  the  rooms 
was  occupied  as  a  store,  in  which  was  kept  a  gen- 
eral assortment  of  dry-goods,  groceries,  liquor,  and 
such  articles  as  were  of  universal  demand  among 
"  his  people;  "  the  other  rooms,  of  which  there  were 
twelve,  being  occupied  by  the  Don's  family  and  the 
house-servants.  We  were  shown  into  a  long  narrow 
apartment,  in  which  there  was  neither  table  nor 
chairs,  but  three  very  inviting-looking  beds  ;  while 
arranged  upon  the  clay  floor,  beside  the  walls,  were 
cushions  to  serve  as  seats. 

An  hour  later  supper  was  served.  This  consisted 
of  a  mutton  stew,  in  which  garlic  formed  a  promi- 
nent ingredient,  splendid  wheat  bread,  stewed  beans, 
chile  verde  or  green  peppers,  and  a  cup  of  strong 
coffee  without  milk ;  after  this  we  partook  of  caso, 
or  cheese,  —  made  of  goat's  milk,  —  with  dulce>  or 
sirup. 

Supper  over,  the  Don  joined  us  outside,  when  an 
Indian  boy  appeared,  bearing  a  small  silver  brasier 
upon  which  were  coals  of  fire.  We  then  lighted  our 

l  Good-evening. 


92  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

cigarettes,  and,  while  enjoying  our  evening  smoke, 
discoursed  with  our  host,  upon  cattle-raising,  farm- 
ing, hunting,  arid  California  life  in  general. 

We  found  him,  on  the  whole,  genial  and  intelligent, 
and  passed  a  very  pleasant  evening  in  conversation 
with  him,  during  which  he  informed  us  that  he  was 
the  owner  of  about  twenty  thousand  head  of  cattle 
all  told,  and  had  in  his  employ  more  than  a  hun- 
dred native  Indians,  "  who  were  no-account  people, 
but,  on  the  whole,  did  very  well." 

He  seemed  to  take  particular  pride  in  his  ranch 
and  the  dexterity  of  his  vaqueros,  promising  to  show 
us  a  sample  of  their  skill  in  the  morning. 

As  the  boys  were  very  tired,  we  all  went  to  bed 
early,  and,  after  enjoying  a  splendid  night's  rest,  arose 
to  find,  that,  although  barely  light,  the  Don  was  out 
before  us.  He  greeted  us  very  pleasantly,  and  said 
he  had  been  down  picking  out  a  few  of  his  people 
to  show  us  what  they  could  do  with  the  lasso ;  and 
in  a  short  time  a  dozen  sleepy,  dirty-looking  fellows 
appeared,  .mounted  upon  stout  Californian  horses 
raised  upon  the  ranch.  In  the  right  hand  of  each 
was  held  the  slip-noose  of  a  lasso,  the  coil  swinging 
from  the  pommel  of  his  saddle. 

At  a  word  from  Don  Anastacio,  one  of  the  num- 
ber, striking  his  spurs  into  his  animal's  flanks,  darted 
away  from  the  others  as  if  for  dear  life. 

The  next  instant  the  balance  were  in  pursuit. 
Away  they  went  over  the  plain  like  the  wind,  he  in 
the  advance,  apparently  half  dead  with  terror.  As 


SKILL  WITH  THE   LASSO.  93 

his  pursuers  approached,  he  threw  up  both  hands  as 
if  appealing  for  mercy  ;  the  next  instant  a  lasso  went 
whirling  through  the  air,  and  caught  him  by  the 
shoulder  and  one  of  his  arms.  We  involuntarily 
shut  our  eyes ;  for  we  expected  to  see  the  poor  fellow 
dragged  from  his  horse,  and  dashed  to  pieces  upon 
the  hard  ground. 

Not  so,  however.  The  instant  the  captor  checked 
his  horse,  the  captive  did  likewise,  the  rope  hanging 
slack  between  them :  then  came  a  moment's  pause, 
and  on  they  rushed,  the  one  endeavoring  to  drag 
the  other  from  his  horse,  while  he,  with  the  most 
wonderful  dexterity,  not  only  thwarted  every  effort, 
but  really  turned  the  tables  upon  his  captor,  almost 
forcing  him  from  the  saddle. 

One  moment  it  seemed  that  one  had  a  decided 
advantage,  and  the  next,  his  adversary  would  appear 
to  have  gained  it.  Now  they  dragged  each  other 
around  in  a  circle  with  astonishing  velocity;  and 
then,  as  if  pausing  for  breath,  each  would  watch  the 
movements  of  the  other  with  a  wary  watchfulness 
that  boded  any  thing  but  success  to  his  opponent's 
efforts. 

Both  manifested  the  most  extraordinary  prowess ; 
for  if  for  a  single  instant  either  had  succeeded  in 
tightening  the  lasso  so  as  to  check  the  movements  of 
the  other's  horse,  the  rider  must  have  inevitably 
been  hurled  to  the  ground. 

Whenever  the  captive  seemed  about  to  effect  his 
escape,  another  of  the  party  would  spur  forward,  and 


94  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

cast  his  lasso.  One  caught  him  by  the  foot,  and 
another  by  the  right  hand,  thus  rendering  him 
almost  powerless ;  but  he  still  continued  to  regulate 
the  movements  of  his  horse  with  wonderful  dexterity, 
evidently  by  the  pressure  of  his  knees  against  the 
animal's  sides. 

The  balance  of  the  party  now  dashed  forward, 
and  hurling  their  lassos  over  the  heads  of  the  captors, 
they  fell  around  the  body  of  the  captive,  and  about 
his  horse's  neck. 

It  seemed  now  as  though  nothing  could  save  him, 
as  though  it  were  absolutely  impossible  for  him  to 
avoid  the  terrible  fate  that  stared  him  in  the  face. 
We  held  our  breaths  in  our  anxiety,  and  nerved  our- 
selves to  see  him  torn  from  his  horse,  and  dragged,  a 
mutilated  corpse,  over  the  rough  ground. 

But  no :  the  moment  his  animal  felt  the  rope,  it 
stopped  as  suddenly  as  did  those  of  his  pursuers ; 
and  the  next  instant,  with  a  movement  like  light- 
ning, he  rid  himself  of  the  lassos,  and  bounded  away 
from  his  pursuers  —  free. 

Sile  and  myself  involuntarily  uttered  a  shout  of 
joy,  while  the  boys  swung  their  hats  in  the  air,  and 
fairly  yelled  with  delight ;  Don  Anastacio  himself 
being  evidently  as  much  pleased  at  the  result  as  our- 
selves, although  his  proprietary  dignity  forbade  his 
showing  it. 

But  this  most  wonderful  exhibition  of  horseman- 
ship was  not  yet  finished ;  for,  as  the  vaqueros  wheeled 
their  horses  to  return,  one  of  their  number  spurred 


SKILL   WITH   THE   LASSO.  95 

forward  some  distance  in  the  advance,  apparently  with 
the  lassos  of  his  comrades  coiled  upon  his  right  arm, 
and,  adopting  a  zigzag  course,  dropped  them  one  after 
the  other  upon  the  grass  behind  him. 

The  others  followed  at  a  furious  pace  ;  and  as  each 
one  reached  his  own  lasso,  he  swung  himself  over 
upon  the  side  of  his  horse,  hanging  by  the  left  heel 
to  the  animal's  back,  and,  sweeping  the  ground  with 
his  hand,  recovered  the  rope  ;  and  then,  resuming  his 
seat  in  the  saddle,  proceeded  to  recoil  it  neatly, 
riding  up  to  us  as  unconcernedly  as  if  the  centaur- 
like  feats  just  performed,  had  been  of  the  most  ordi- 
nary character. 

A  word  from  Don  Anastacio  sent  the  horsemen  to 
the  coral  to  unsaddle  their  animals,  and  then  we 
proceeded  towards  the  house  for  breakfast. 

So  astonished  had  I  been  at  seeing  the  marvellous 
adroitness  and  dexterity  of  these  men,  that  I  had 
quite  forgotten  to  properly  express  the  admiration  we 
all  felt  at  the  sight  so  unexpectedly  witnessed. 

Sile  declared  he  had  never  seen  it  equalled ;  while 
the  boys  were  almost  wild  with  excitement,  and 
before  I  knew  it  were  down  at  the  coral,  gazing  in 
stupid  wonder  at  the  performers,  who,  seated  upon 
the  ground  about  a  little  fire  in  front  of  their  quar- 
ters, were  already  devouring  their  simple  breakfast  of 
came  seco,  or  dried  meat,  bread,  and  coffee,  with  a 
relish  noways  diminished  by  their  morning's  exercise. 

As  we  were  walking  towards  the  house,  I  ex- 
pressd  our  thanks  for  the  pleasure  he  had  given  by 


96  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

enabling  us  to  witness  such  an  unparalleled  exhibi- 
tion of  fine  horsemanship  ;  but  he  cut  short  my  little 
speech  with  a  pompous  wave  of  the  hand,  saying, 
"  It  is  nothing  !  it  is  nothing !  they  are  no-account 
fellows  any  way,  the  very  poorest  I  have ; "  notwith- 
standing which  statement,  I  fancied  I  could  detect 
a  feeling  of  conscionable  pride  in  his  manner,  which 
said  quite  as  plainly  as  words  could  have  done,  — 

"  These  are  my  people, — good  horsemen,  if  they 
are  no-account  fellows  :  how  those  Yankee  eyes  did 
open  though !  " 

At  any  rate,  something  appeared  to  have  put  the 
Don  into  an  exceedingly  amiable  mood,  for  immedi- 
ately upon  reaching  the  house  he  sent  a  servant  for 
a  bottle  of  grape  brandy ;  "  And  let  it  be  the  oldest," 
he  cried.  Then  turning  to  us,  he  assured  us  he  was 
pleased  to  think  he  had  been  able  to  give  us  an 
hour's  entertainment  before  breakfast,  of  which  we 
should  partake  as  soon  as  the  servant  returned  with 
the  brandy,  "  manufactured  from  grapes  grown  upon 
my  own  ranch,  where  it  has  been  safely  kept  for 
more  than  fifteen  years,"  said  he. 

Both  Sile  and  myself  assured  Don  Anastacio  that 
we  must  be  excused  from  partaking  of  his  brandy ; 
and,  seeing  that  no  urging  would  induce  us  to  taste  it 
even,  he  led  the  way  into  the  breakfast-room,  where 
we  found  a  bountiful  repast  to  which  we  did  sub- 
stantial justice. 

Near  this  point  our  trail  forked  :  one  carrying  us 
by  what  was  known  as  the  coast  route,  passing 


ONCE   MORE   ON   THE   ROAD.  97 

through  the  towns  of  Los  Angeles,  Santa  Barbara, 
Monterey,  &c. ;  the  other  following  the  base  of  the 
mountain  range.  After  consulting  with  Don  Anas- 
tacio,'we  decided  to  take  what  was  known  as  the 
"  mountain  trail,"  notwithstanding  he  assured  us  we 
should  run  more  risk  of  meeting  with  wild  animals, 
than  if  we  took  the  other  more  travelled  and  better 
path. 

It  was  quite  ten  o'clock  before  our  train  was 
ready  for  a  start ;  and,  after  thanking  the  Don  for 
his  generous  hospitality,  1  once  more  referred  to  the 
wonderful  skill  of  his  vaguer os.  He  rather  pompous- 
ly replied  that  it  was  a  mere  nothing,  as  all  his  best 
horsemen  were  out  on  the  range  collecting  cattle  for 
the  annual  rodeo,  a  gathering  which  was  to  come  off 
in  a  few  days;  that  those  we  had  seen  were  no- 
account  fellows,  but  were  all  there  were  on  the 
ranch  at  this  time  ;  adding,  that,  if  we  would  do  him 
the  honor  to  stop  at  his  poor  house  on  our  return, 
he  would  show  us  horsemanship  that  would  put  to 
shame  any  thing  we  had  as  yet  witnessed. 

Shaking  hands  with  him,  we  mounted  our  horses ; 
and  bidding  him  a  bueno  diets,  or  good-day,  we  again 
started  on  the  trail. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

HAL  DISCUSSES  THE  SITUATION.  —  THE  MISSION  INDIANS.  — 
THEIR  PROBABLE  NUMBER.  HAL  DISCOURSES  ON  GRIZ- 
ZLIES.   SILE'S  ADVICE. HAL  BOASTS.  SILE's  HUNT. 

HIS    SKILL    IN     SHOOTING.  THREE    BULLETS    IN    ONE 

HOLE.  THE  SPLIT  SHOT.  OUR  DOUBTS.  SILE*S  SUC- 
CESS.   HIS  PROMISE. 

WE  had  hardly  left  the  ranch,  ere  Hal  blurted 
out,  — 

"  I  wish  I  could  speak  Spanish." 

"  Why  so  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Because  then  I  could  have  talked  with  those 
Indians.  I  don't  believe  that  the  best  horsemen  were 
all  on  the  range.  I  don't  believe  there  could  be  any 
better  than  them  ;  do  you,  Sile  ?  " 

"  Wall,  'twould  be  putty  hard  work  to  find  'em. 
I  never  seed  any  better  ridin',"  was  the  reply. 

"  And  the  Don  was  always  trying  to  make  us 
think  it  was  nothing,  it  was  nothing.  If  he  said  it 
once,  he  said  it  a  dozen  times,  but  always  as  though 
he  knew  it  was  a  good  deal.  I  hate  anybody  that's 
always  bragging  like  that." 

"  It  is  not  very  pleasant  to  hear  any  person  con- 


THE   MISSION  INDIANS.  99 

stantly  reminding  you  of  what  they  possess  or  what 
they  can  do,"  remarked  I.  "And  yet  it's  only  a  few 
days  ago,  that  I  heard  a  certain  young  man  declare 
that  he  could  ride  as  well  as  any  vaquero.  Now,  what 
chance  do  you  think  you  would  stand  among  a  lot 
of  horsemen  like  those,  Hal  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Not  much,"  was  the  answer.  "  But  then,  there's 
very  few  can  ride  like  them." 

"  Now  you  are  trying  to  explain  a  very  foolish 
speech ;  one  that  you  can't,  by  any  kind  of  excuse, 
reconcile  with  the  truth." 

"  I  didn't  exactly  mean  that  I  could  ride  as  well 
as  any  vaquero  ;  but  I  meant  that  I  would  be  willing 
to  ride  with  them,  and  take  the  chance  of  holding 
my  own." 

"  You  wouldn't  take  much  of  a  chance,  and  what 
yeou  did  take,  wouldn't  last  more'n  a  minit,"  re- 
marked Sile. 

"  How  comes  it  that  these  Indians  speak  Spanish, 
and  those  we  saw  the  other  day  could  speak  hardly 
a  word  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  They're  altogether  different  Indians.  Those  we 
saw  the  other  day  were  Pai  Yutes ;  these  are  Mission 
Indians,"  was  my  answer. 

"  What  are  they  ?  "  inquired  the  boy. 

"  They  are  the  remnant  of  those  Indians  who  were 
Christianized  by  the  Catholic  priests,  who  founded 
the  old  California  missions,"  was  my  reply. 

"  How  many  are  there  of  them  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

"  At  the  time  the  missions  were  abandoned,  there 


100  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

were  about  fifteen  thousand ;  but  it  is  hardly  possible 
to  estimate  their  number  at  the  present  time,  as  they 
are  scattered  all  over  Southern  California." 

"  Don't  the  Pai  Yutes  belong  in  California?"  in- 
quired Hal. 

"  No ;  properly  they  belong  to  the  country  lying 
to  the  east  and  south  of  California :  those  that  we 
saw  were  only  out  upon  a  hunt." 

Here  our  conversation  was  interrupted  by  Sile, 
who  rode  up  to  say  that  we  had  nearly  reached 
the  fork  of  the  trail ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  more  we 
came  to  the  point  of  divergence,  and,  taking  the  one 
leading  to  the  right,  passed  on.  As  we  approached 
the  base  of  the  mountains,  the  appearance  of  the 
country  changed  for  the  better,  being  more  rolling 
and  heavily  timbered. 

We  frequently  caught  sight  of  large  herds  of  cat- 
tle, flocks  of  sheep,  and  droves  of  horses. 

"  We  sha'n't  see  no  game  till  we  get  off  the  sheep 
range,"  said  Sile. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  'Cause  deer  won't  stay  nigh  'em :  there's  nothin' 
that'll  drive  deer  out  of  a  country  so  quick  as  sheep, 
arid  they  won't  come  back  tew  it  either  till  the 
scent  is  gone  ;  leastways  it's  so  with  black-tailed 
deer,  and  them's  the  kind  we  ought  tew  see  here- 
abouts." 

"  They're  curious  creatures,  are  they  not  ?  "  asked 
I. 

"  Yes',  awful,"  was  the  reply.     "  They  want  tew 


HAL  BOASTS.  101 

know  just  what's  goin'  on,  and  all  about  it.  It's 
putty  nigh  time  for  the  bucks  to  take  tew  the  moun- 
tains now,  to  grow  their  horns." 

"  To  what?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  Tew  grow  their  horns  :  they  shed  'em  in  Febru- 
ary, and  gen'ly  start  for  the  mountains  in  April. 
We  ought  tew  begin  tew  see  does  though,  as  soon  as 
we  git  off  'er  this  range,  'cause  they  herd  tewgether 
'bout  this  time." 

"  I  hope  we  shall  see  a  grizzly,"  said  Hal.  "  Those 
are  the  fellows  for  my  money.  It  must  be  terribly 
exciting  to  see  a  wounded  grizzly  making  right  for 
you.  I  wouldn't  give  the  snap  of  my  finger  to  kill 
a  deer;  but  just  let  me  get  sight  at  a  full-grown 
grizzly,  and  I  shall  be  satisfied." 

"  I  guess  yeou  would,  sonny.  I  kinder  think  the 
sight  will  be  all  yeou'll  want,"  replied  Sile. 

"  Do  you  think  I'd  run  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  Not  onless  you  had  a  good  chance,"  was  the 
reply  ;  "  but  in  case  you  did,  we  shouldn't  see  yer, 
from  the  dust  yeou'd  raise.  No,  no,  sonny:  yeou 
take  Sile  Carter's  advice,  and  keep  out  'er  the  way 
of  grizzlies." 

"  Well,  I'll  show  you,  if  I  ever  have  the  chance," 
replied  Hal,  as  Sile  fell  back  to  look  after  the  train. 

"  How  often  do  you  want  to  be  reminded  that 
you're  indulging  in  your  favorite  pastime  of  boast- 
ing, Hal  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Boasting !  why,  I  wasn't  boasting :  I  was  only 
saying  what  I  should  do  in  case  I  saw  a  grizzly." 


102  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Well,  how  do  you  know  what  you  should  do 
under  such  circumstances  ?  "  was  my  question. 

44  Know  ?  Why,  of  course  I  don't  know,  but  think 
I  should  do  as  I  say." 

"  Then  why  not  say  '  think,'  if  you  must  say 
any  thing?  it  sounds  much  less  like  boasting." 

44  I'd  as  soon  say  4  think '  as  any  thing  else,  only  I 
can't  understand  why  everybody  wants  to  snub  me." 

44  No  one  wants  to  snub  you,  Hal ;  but  it  would  be 
much  pleasanter  for  all,  if  you  were  less  inclined 
to  boast  of  what  you  can  or  would  do,  under  such 
and  such  circumstances.  Try  and  avoid  it  in  the 
future:  it  may  be,  that  you  will  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  show  what  you  will  do  in  case  you  meet  a 
grizzly." 

44  Do  you  really  think  we  may  see  one  ?  "  inquired 
Ned. 

44  Of  course  I  can't  tell ;  but  Sile  tells  me  that 
they  sometimes  come  down  to  the  plains  at  this  sea- 
son of  the  year,  when  the  winter  has  been  unusually 
severe  in  the  mountains." 

44  Well,  if  I  see  one,  I  know  what  I  shall  do,"  said 
Hal. 

44  There  you  are  again,  Hal,"  said  I. 

Hal  laughed,  and,  correcting  himself,  said,  44 1 
mean,  I  think  I  know  what  I  should  do." 

44  That  is  better,  Hal ;  now  don't  say  what  you 
think,  'but  wait  until  we  have  a  chance  to  see  what 
you  will  do." 

44  All  right,"  said  he.     44  I'll  go  back  and  talk  with 


SILE'S  HUNT.  103 

Sile  for  a  time  ;  "  and,  wheeling  his  horse,  the  boy 
rode  back  and  joined  Sile,  who  in  a  short  time  came 
forward,  and  suggested  camping  upon  the  bank  of  a 
pretty  little  stream  we  were  about  to  cross. 

"  Isn't  it  early  to  camp,  Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Wai,  we  give  the  mules  a  putty  tough  drive  yes- 
terday, and  I  thought  we'd  better  make  a  short  one 
tew-day,"  was  the  answer,  "  'cause,  you  see,  a  pack- 
train  ought  not  tew  average  more'n  twelve  or  fifteen 
miles,  at  the  outside." 

"  Very  well,  Sile :  arrange  it  as  you  think  best," 
was  my  reply ;  and  Sile  rode  ahead  to  select  a  suit- 
able camping-place. 

In  a  short  time  we  came  up  to  him ;  and  it  re- 
quired but  a  very  few  minutes  to  unpack  our  ani- 
mals, and  commence  preparations  for  supper. 

While  these  were  being  made,  Sile  borrowed  a 
shot-gun  from  one  of  the  arrieros,  and  started  up 
the  stream  upon  an  exploring  expedition,  returning 
in  less  than  an  hour  with  a  fine  lot  of  grouse,  which 
made  us  a  most  delicious  meal. 

Supper  over,  I  said,  "  Come,  Sile,  I've  never  yet 
seen  you  shoot :  I  want  you  to  show  these  boys  what 
can  be  done  with  a  rifle." 

"  Wai,  squire,  I  ain't  in  practice  neow,  an'  I'm 
afeard  I  shall  make  a  poor  show  ;  however  I'm  will- 
in'  tew  try  '  Jenny,'  if  yeou  want  tew  see  me." 

"•Very  well.  Hal,  let's  go  and  set  up  a  mark :  how 
far  shall  we  make  it,  Sile  ?  " 

Finding  a  suitable  tree,  we  chipped  off  a  place  in 


104  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

the  bark  about  six  inches  square,  in  the  centre  of 
which,  with  a  piece  of  coal,  we  made  a  spot  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  in  diameter ;  we  then  paced  off 
three  hundred  feet,  and  Sile  took  his  position. 
Bringing  his  rifle  to  his  face  he  fired,  apparently 
without  stopping  to  take  aim  :  this  was  done  three 
times,  and  then  the  boys  started  to  examine  the 
mark. 

Reaching  it,  they  shouted,  "  Only  one,  Sile,"  and, 
after  examining  the  bark  of  the  tree,  declared  that 
there  was  no  other  mark  to  be  found. 

"  I  know'd  I  was  consid'ble  out'er  practice,"  said 
Sile,  after  the  result  of  his  shots  had  been  an- 
nounced; "  but,  I  declare,  I'd  'a'  bet  I  hit  somewhar 
'beont  the  place,  sartin." 

"  Well,  Sile,  while  you  are  reloading,  I'll  go  and 
see  for  myself;  perhaps  the  boys  are  mistaken." 

"  You  needn't  come,  "  shouted  they,  as  they  saw 
me  starting  towards  them  :  "  there  was  only  one  bul- 
let hit,  and  that's  right  in  the  centre  of  the  bull's- 
eye." 

"  But  I  propose  to  examine  for  myself,"  said  I, 
continuing  my  way  towards  the  tree. 

The  boys  looked  on  while  I  made  a  careful  exami- 
nation of  the  bark,  upon  which  no  mark  of  a  bullet 
could  be  seen.  I  then  made  a  more  critical  exami- 
nation of  the  target,  and  observed  that  the  bullet- 
hole  was  more  of  an  oblong  than  round  shape. 

I  called  the  attention  of  the  boys  to  this  fact,  but 
they  only  laughed,  while  to  satisfy  myself,  I  cut  into 


THREE   BULLETS   IN  ONE   HOLE.  105 

the  wood  of  the  tree,  from  which  I  soon  succeeded 
in  extracting  not  only  one,  but  the  three  bullets. 
Sile's  aim  had  been  so  accurate  that  he  had  literally 
piled  the  bullets  one  upon  the  other. 

"  There,  boys,"  said  I,  after  picking  out  the  third 
bullet,  "  when  you  can  shoot  as  well  as  that,  I'll 
trust  you  to  hunt  grizzlies  single-handed  and  alone." 

"I  don't  believe  he  could  do  it  again,"  said  Hal. 

"  Nonsense,"  replied  Ned,  "  of  course  he  can. 
You  don't  suppose  that  was  mere  luck  ;  you  can't 
be  so  foolish  as  that,  Hal.  It's  what  I  call  good 
shooting." 

"  It's  splendid  shooting,  and  no  mistake  ;  but  we 
won't  say  a  word  to  Sile  about  it  until  we  hear  what 
he  says  of  your  first  report,"  said  I. 

Our  plan  was  useless,  however,  for  looking  up  we 
saw  Sile  approaching:  before  he  reached  us,  Ned 
shouted  out,  "  Hurrah  for  you,  Sile !  you've  beat 
yourself  this  time.  Three  bullets  and  one  hole  is 
doing  pretty  well." 

"  You've  found  'em,  then.  I  kinder  guessed  they 
must  be  somewheres  'bout,  'cause  I  don't  often  make 
so  much  of  a  miss,"  said  Sile. 

"  I  reckon  that's  so,  Sile,  for  we  found  that  every 
bullet  had  plugged  the  centre  of  the  bull's-eye  :  there 
wasn't  the  variation  of  the  sixteenth  of  an  inch  in 
three  shots  ;  they  were  so  near  it,  that  the  boys 
thought  but  one  had  struck  it,"  said  I. 

"  I  used  tew  be  able  tew  split  a  bullet  at  three 
hundred  feet  with  old  Jane ;  but  it's  so  long  sence 


106  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

I've  tried  it,  I  reckon  'tain't  any  use  now,"  was  Sile's 
only  reply. 

"  How  split  a  bullet?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  Why,  set  my  knife  with  the  edge  of  the  blade 
out,  like  this,"  explained  Sile,  drawing  his  sheath- 
knife  "  and,  striking  the  edge,  split  the  bullet  intew 
halves." 

"  I'd  rather  see  that  done  than  hear  any  one  tell 
of  it,"  remarked  Hal :  "  the  fact  is,  no  man  could 
see  the  edge  of  that  blade  at  three  hundred  feet." 

"  If  I  hed  any  way  of  fastenin'  my  knife  agin  the 
tree,  I'd  try  it ;  though  it's  likely  I  might  not  be  able 
tew  do  it  the  fust  time,"  said  Sile. 

"  Run  over  to  camp,  Hal,  and  bring  my  lasso,"  said 
I.  "  Sile  will  soon  show  you  what  he  can  do." 

"  Why  can't  Ned  go  ?  "  asked  the  boy. 

"  Because  it's  for  your  benefit  that  we  propose  to 
have  the  trial  made.  If  you  can't  go,  Sile  won't 
shoot,"  said  I. 

Hal  immediately  started,  and  in  a  few  moments 
returned  with  the  rope  ;  taking  Sile's  hunting-knife, 
we  soon  had  it  lashed  securely  to  the  trunk  of  the 
tree,  with  the  edge  facing  us.  Sile  then  took  his 
position,  and,  carelessly  raising  his  rifle,  fired. 

Away  went  the  boys,  who  after  a  hasty  examina- 
tion of  the  tree  called  out,  "  No  bullet  here." 

"  Of  course  thar  ain't ;  but  if  you'll  look  about  a 
little,  you'll  find  the  pieces,"  shouted  Sile ;  then 
tinning  towards  me  he  said,  "I  never  knowed  the 
old  oral  tew  miss  on  a  shot  like  that:  'tain't  her 

o 

natur." 


SILE'S  PROMISE.  107 

"  There's  no  pieces  here,"  cried  Ned.  "  At  least, 
we  can't  find  any." 

"Wai,  stan'  tew  one  side,  and  watch  for  these, 
then,"  said  Sile. 

The  boys  withdrew  a  short  distance,  and  Sile  once 
more  fired. 

Ned  bounded  to  the  right  of  the  tree,  and  the 
next  moment  held  up  something  in  his  hand,  shout- 
ing, "  I've  got  it,  I've  got  part  of  it,  Sile  !  it's  cut 
right  into  two  pieces.  Bully  for  you  !  "  cried  the 
excited  boy,  fairly  jumping  up  and  down  ;  as  soon 
as  Hal,  who  was  busily  hunting  for  the  other  half, 
had  found  it,  the  two  came  running  up  with  the 
pieces,  declaring  that  they  didn't  believe  there  was 
another  man  in  the  State  could  make  a  shot  like 
that,  twice  running. 

"  There's  many  a  man  in  Californy  can  beat  me 
shootin',"  modestly  replied  Sile.  "  Which  of  you 
boys  is  goin'  to  run  back  and  bring  me  my  knife  ?  " 

"  I  will,  I  will !  "  cried  both  in  the  same  breath  as 
they  started. 

"  Don't  forget  the  lasso,"  shouted  I. 

Then  turning  towards  me,  Sile  said,  "  We'll  try  it 
over  agin  some  time  when  the  light's  a  leetle  stronger. 
I  find  my  old  eyes  ain't  as  good  as  they  used  tew 
be." 

The  boys  soon  returned  with  the  articles  sent  for, 
and  during  the  remainder  of  the  evening  could  talk 
of  nothing  but  shooting  ;  but  before  Hal  retired,  he 
went  to  Sile  of  his  own  accord,  and  said, — 


108  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  I  didn't  mean  to  doubt  your  word  to-day,  when 
I  said  I'd  rather  see  than  hear  a  man  tell  of  splitting 
a  bullet  at  three  hundred  feet.  It  was  a  foolish 
thing  to  say." 

"  Never  mind,  sonny,  that's  all  right.  I  knowed 
well  enuff  what  yeou  meant  tew  say.  I've  talked 
that  way  myself  afore  now;  but  I  larnt  my  lesson 
when  I  warn't  much  older  than  you  be  ;  and,  when  I 
hear  a  man  sayin'  what  he  kin  do,  I  don't  never  con- 
tradict him  now." 

"What  was  the  lesson,  Sile?  Tell  us  about  it, 
please,"  said  Ned. 

"  It's  too  late  tew  spin  yarns  ter-night,  but  p'r'aps 
ter-morrer  night ;  we'll  see :  anyhow,  you  boys  had 
better  turn  in  now,  or  you  won't  turn  out  in  very 
good  season  in  the  mornin';"  and  Sile  chuckled  to 
himself  as  he  slowly  tucked  a  live  coal  into  the  bowl 
of  his  pipe,  preparatory  to  his  late  smoke. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SILE   GOES  DEER-HUNTING.  FRESH  MEAT  FOR  SUPPER. 

THE  PROMISE.  SILE's  STORY.  DOWN  IN  MAINE. ON 

THE  MISSISSIPPI. TRAPPING  IN  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS. 

PETER  A.  SARPY. "EARLY  TO  BED,  AND  EARLY  TO 

RISE." — THE  PANTHER'S  CRY. — TO  BED. 

WE  had  barely  reached  camp  the  next  afternoon 
ere  the  boys  began  asking  Sile  to  tell  them  the 
promised  story ;  but  he  only  laughed,  and  said,  — 

"What,  now?  Who  ever  heerd  of  settlin'  down 
tew  story-tellin'  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
no  fresh  meat  in  camp  for  supper?  You'll  hev  tew 
wait,  boys,  till  I've  hed  my  supper,  afore  I  kin  tell 
stories.  I'm  goin'  out  to  earn  it,  too,  afore  I  eat  it. 
Don't  one  of  you  want  to  come  with  me  ?  " 

44  What  are  you  going  for,  Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

44 1  guess  I  shall  take  Jenny  along,  and  look  for  a 
deer;  for  I've  been  kinder  hankerin'  for  a  venison 
steak  for  the  last  two  or  three  days." 

44  Well  and  good,  I'll  go  with  you,"  said  I. 

44  So'll  I,"  k4  And  I,"  shouted  both  boys. 

44  One'll  be  enuff,"  said  Sile;  44and  as  the  squire 
spoke  first,  why,  he  must  go.  Yeou  boys  stay  about 

109 


110  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

camp,  and  keep  an  eye  on  the  mules ;  and  be  sure 
and  hev  a  good  fire,  with  plenty  of  coals  for  br'ilin', 
ready  ag'in  we  git  back." 

"  Any  one  would  think  you  expected  to  bring  in  a 
deer,  from  the  directions  you  give,"  exclaimed  Hal. 

"  Likely  enuff,  likely  enuff,  sonny :  a  feller  can't 
allers  tell  what'll  happen  afore  he  starts  out,  as  well 
as  he  kin  arter  he  gits  back." 

"  You  don't  expect  to  see  a  black-tail,  do  you  ?  " 
inquired  I  while  loading. 

44  No :  I  guess  we're  too  near  the  sheep-range  for 
that  yet ;  "  adding  in  a  lower  tone,  "  I  ketched  sight 
of  a  red  deer  a  little  ways  back,  and  whar  thar's 
one,  thar's  gen'rally  three  or  four  at  this  time  er 
year ;  so  I  thought  we  might  as  well  camp  here, 
and  have  a  shot  at  'em.  Now,  as  we  go  'long,  yeou 
want  tew  keep  an  eye  on  these  thickets  about  here, 
'cause  as  likely  as  not  we  might  start  one  up,  and 
then,  yeou  know,  a  quick  eye  and  steady  hand'll 
bring  him,  sure." 

We  had  proceeded  not  more  than  half  a  mile  from 
camp,  when  I  saw  Sile  suddenly  raise  his  hand,  as  if 
warning  me  to  be  cautious,  while  he  peered  carefully 
through  the  thick  undergrowth  that  separated  us 
from  an  open  space  I  could  see  a  short  distance  ahead. 

The  next  instant  he  brought  his  rifle  to  his  shoul- 
der, and  fired. 

We  both  rushed  forward,  and,  upon  reaching  the 
edge  of  the  clearing,  saw,  about  two  hundred  yards 
from  us,  a  fine  fat  doe  lying  upon  its  side,  evidently 


FKESH  MEAT  FOB  SUPPER.        Ill 

in  the  agonies  of  death ;  and,  in  the  distance,  half  a 
dozen  more  speeding  gracefully  over  the  prairie. 
Altogether  too  far  away  for  me  to  fire,  they  were 
still  near  enough  to  challenge  my  admiration ;  but 
the  magnificent  bounds  that  seemed  to  combine  so 
much  strength  and  lightness,  with  speed  and  grace, 
soon  carried  them  into  the  woods  and  out  of  sight. 
Turning  towards  Sile,  I  saw  that  he  had  just  ended 
the  poor  creature's  struggles  by  cutting  its  throat; 
and,  with  a  half-sigh  at  the  necessity  that  caused  the 
slaughter  of  a  creature  a  moment  before  so  full  of 
strength  and  beauty,  I  said,  — 

"  Is  it  fat,  Sile  ?" 

"I  never  seed  a  fatter  one,"  was  the  reply,  as  he 
disembowelled  the  carcass:  then  tying  the  legs 
together,  Ave  slung  it  about  his  neck,  and  slowly  made 
our  way  back  to  camp,  where  we  were  warmly  wel- 
comed by  the  boys,  who  loudly  expressed  their  satis- 
faction at  our  quick  return  and  lucky  find. 

In  less  time  than  I  have  taken  to  tell  of  it,  each  of 
us  had  a  fat,  juicy  steak  broiling  upon  sticks  over 
the  coals ;  the  savory  fumes  of  which,  caused  us  to 
consign  the  stew  provided  by  the  cook  for  our 
supper,  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  muleteers,  while 
we  ourselves  feasted  upon  a  dish  fit  for  a  king. 

"Now  for  the  story,"  said  Ned,  as,  sucking  the 
gravy  from  his  fingers,  he  strutted  about  the  fire,  not 
unlike  a  well-gorged  turkey-gobbler. 

"  Yes,  Sile,  we  want  the  story  now,"  urged  Hal, 
as,  in  a  condition  very  similar  to  Ned's,  he  stretched 


112  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

• 

himself  before  the  fire,  declaring  that  he  believed 
he'd  eaten  too  much  supper. 

44  Well,  boys,"  remarked  Sile,  "  if  you'll  wait  till 
I've  got  my  pipe  lit,  arid  taken  the  kink  out  'er  this 
left  leg  o'  mine,  I'll  tell  you  the  story,  such  as  'tis." 
In  a  few  minutes  he  commenced  as  follows :  — 

44  When  I  was  a  boy  I  hed  a  pretty  hard  time  of 
it.  My  mother  was  a  widow  with  four  children, 
and  I  the  oldest  one.  Arter  I  was  twelve  year  old, 
I  begun  to  go  as  cabin-boy  in  a  coaster  that  traded 
between  the  Kennebec  and  Bosting,  and  once  or 
twice  durin'  them  years  I  went  down  New  York. 

44  When  I  was  fifteen  I  shipped  as  cabin-boy  on 
board  a  vessel  loaded  with  staves,  for  New  Orleans, 
for  a  hundred  dollars  the  season,  and  my  board.  I 
was  paid  off  in  New  Orleans ;  and  thinkin'  I  should 
like  up  country  better,  I  bought  a  ticket  for  St. 
Louis,  and  started  up  river  on  one  of  the  Mississippi 
steamboats. 

44  Wai,  arter  I  got  my  ticket,  I  hed  jest  a  hundred 
dollars  ;  and  I  allowed  that  when  I  got  tew  St.  Louis 
and  found  something  tew  do,  I'd  send  mother  that 
money.  Thar  was  a  good  many  passengers  aboard, 
and  I  was  jest  old  enough  to  think  I  knovved  as  much 
as  any  one  on  'em :  so  I  mixed  in  pretty  lively. 

44  One  day  we  got  tew  talkin'  about  shootin.'  I 
heerd  one  and  another  say  what  he  could  do  ;  and 
putty  soon  a  rough-lookin'  old  man,  who'd  been 
sittin'  round  but  hadn't  said  much,  begun  tew  tell 
what  he'd  seed ;  and,  among  other  things,  said  he'd 


SILE'S  STORY.  113 

seed  a  man  tie  a  empty  bottle  tew  the  end  of  a  line 
two  hundred  feet  long,  and  throw  it  over  inter  the 
wake  of  the  boat,  and  break  the  bottle  with  a  bullet. 

"  Some  of  the  young  fellers  aboard  had  been  say- 
ing they  would  bet  they  could  do  so  and  so,  and  I 
felt  as  though  I'd  like  tew  have  'em  know  that  I  hed 
money  to  bet,  as  well  as  they ;  and,  when  the  old 
man  said  what  he  did,  I  thought  'twas  a  good  chance 
for  me  to  say  something  cause  you  see  I  knowed  how 
hard  'twas  tew  hit  any  thing  bobbin'  about  on  the 
water,  for  I'd  tried  it  a  hundred  times.  So  I  said  I 
didn't  b'lieve  anybody  could  do  that. 

"  4  Do  you  doubt  my  word  ? '  said  the  old  man, 
lookin'  pleasantly  at  me. 

"  I  said  no,  but  I  didn't  believe  it  could  be  done. 

"  4  Well,  as  tew  that,'  said  he,  '  I  kin  do  it  myself.' 

"  Now,  by  this  time  putty  nigh  everybody  was  a- 
lookin'  at  me  ;  and  thinkin'  tew  rather  s'prise  'em, 
more'n  any  thing  else,  I  said,  — 

" 4  I'll  bet  a  hundred  dollars  there  ain't  a  man  on 
the  boat  can  do  it.' 

44  You  see,  at  that  time,  everybody  used  tew  bet  in 
that  country  ;  and  I'd  heerd  so  much  talk  about  bet- 
tin,'  that  it  slipped  out  without  my  knowin'  it ;  but 
the  old  man  looked  at  me  a  minit,  and  takin'  out  a 
roll  o'  bills,  said, 4 1  don't  want  tew  win  your  money, 
young  man,  but  I  can  do  as  I  said  I  could.' 

44  Thinkin'  he  meant  tew  back  down,  and  that  he 
only  wanted  to  show  his  money,  I  said, 4  If  you  think 
yew  can  do  it,  put  yeour  money  right  up.' 


114  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  He  did  put  his  money  inter  the  captain's  hands, 
and  then  went  inter  the  cabin  tew  git  his  rifle,  while 
I  handed  my  money  tew  the  captain.  The  mate 
brought  out  a  line,  and  then  measured  off  six  hun- 
dred feet ;  and  we  tied  a  empty  junk-bottle  to  the 
end,  and  throwed  it  overboard. 

"  When  I  see  it  bobbin'  about  in  the  wake  of  the 
boat,  long  arter  the  line  all  run  out,  I  thought  tew 
myself,  l  Sile  Carter,  you'll  hev  two  hundred  dollars 
to  send  home  instead  of  one  hundred,  as  sure  as 
you're  a  livin'  boy.' 

"  Arter  the  line  was  all  played  out,  we  couldn't 
hardly  see  the  bottle  'cept  as  it  once  in  a  while 
skipped  in  the  water  ;  but  the  old  man  brought  his 
rifle  to  his  face,  and,  watchin'  his  chance,  fired. 

"  I  was  so  excited  while  they  was  haulin'  in  the 
line,  that  I  could  hardly  breathe ;  and  when  it  come 
in  —  well,  boys,  there  warn't  nothin'  but  the  neck 
of  the  bottle  on  the  end  of  the  line. 

"  I  couldn't  believe  it  for  a  minit,  and  then  I  heard 
'em  hollerin',  and  see  the  captain  pay  my  money 
over ;  and  —  well,  I  didn't  know  nothin'  for  a  while. 
I  felt  dizzy,  sick,  and  weak  as  a  cat.  Then  I  begun 
tew  think  how  much  good  that  money'd  done  mother, 
and  how  I'd  just  throwed  it  away,  and  I  declare  tew 
gracious,  boys,  Sile  Carter  come  putty  nigh  jumpin' 
overboard,  then  and  there.  Everybody  was  a-praisin' 
the  man  who'd  won  my  money,  but  nobody  hed  a 
kind  word  for  me.  I  slipped  away  and  went  inter 
my  stateroom,  and  laid  down  and  cried.  I  never 


PETER   A.   SARPY.  115 

went  out  er  my  room  agin  that  day ;  I  laid  thar  and 
thought  it  all  over,  and  wished  I  was  dead. 

"  Jest  afore  dark,  somebody  knocked  on  the  door, 
and  come  right  in.  I  looked  up,  and  thar  was  the 
old  man.  He  sot  down  on  a  stool,  and  said,  — 

44  4 1  feel  sorry  for  yer,  my  boy.  I  didn't  want  tew 
win  your  money,  and  don't  want  it  now ;  but  I  did 
want  to  larn  yer  a  lesson.  When  yew  hear  a  person 
older'n  yourself  assert  that  he  can  do  a  certain  thing, 
don't  contradict  him.  It's  not  only  impolite,  but  very 
foolish. 

" '  Now  remember  this,  my  boy,  and  never  bet 
again  in  this  way.  Here's  your  money ;  and  I  hope 
it  may  do  yew  much  good.' 

"  I  thanked  him,  and  made  a  vow  then  and  there, 
that  I'd  remember  the  lesson  I'd  larnt  that  day,  as 
long  as  I  lived  ;  and  I  hain't  forgot  it  yet." 

44  What  became  of  the  old  man  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  He  was  gone  in  the  mornin' ;  got  off  at  his 
plantation  in  the  night,  the  cap'n  said.  I've  never 
seed  him  sence." 

44  What  did  you  do,  Sile  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

44 1  came  up  to  St.  Louis,  where  I  fell  in  with  an 
old  Missouri-river  trader,  Col.  Peter  A.  Sarpy. 
Every  one  on  the  river  knowed  him  ;  and  he  hired 
me  tew  go  on  a  huntin'  and  trappin'  expedition  tew 
the  Rocky  Mountains  that  fall.  I  staid  with  him 
two  year,  and  then  found  my  way  over  into  Cali- 
forny,  where  I've  bin  ever  sence." 

44  You  must  have  had  lots  of  adventures,  Sile,"  said 


116  CBOSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

Ned.  "  I  wish  you'd  tell  us  some  of  them,  and  about 
the  Indians  you  trapped  among.  I  sha'n't  forget 
your  story,  Sile.  It  was  a  real  good  one." 

"  So  I  think,"  rejoined  Hal.  "  I  know  I  shall 
remember  it ;  but  I  wish  you'd  tell  us  about  those 
Indians.  I  always  did  like  to  hear  Indian  stories, 
especially  if  they  are  true  ones." 

"  All  right,  boys :  yeou  shall  have  stories  enuff 
afore  yeou  git  home ;  but  }^eou  know  *  Early  tew 
bed  and  early  tew  rise,  makes  a  man  health}^ 
wealth}',  and  wise ; '  leastways,  that's  what  my  old 
mother  used  tew  tell  us  boys  at  home.  I  ain't  so 
sartin  about  the  4  wealthy  and  wise '  part  of  it,  but 
I've  allers  bin  mighty  healthy  sence  I've  bin  out  on 
the  plains.  So  we'll  all  turn  in  for  a  good  night's 
sleep." 

"  Hark  !  what's  that  noise  ?  "  said  Ned,  suddenly 
stopping  on  his  way  for  his  blankets. 

We  all  listened.  The  stillness  of  death  prevailed. 
Suddenly  a  long,  low  cry,  as  of  some  person  in  sore 
distress,  trembled  upon  the  night  air  for  a  moment, 
and  then  all  was  still  again. 

Never  before  had  I  heard  such  a  wail.  It  seemed 
to  me  to  be  just  such  a  cry  as  I  should  imagine  some 
lost  spirit  would  utter,  when  for  the  first  time  it 
fully  realized  that  it  was  bereft  of  all  hope. 

The  boys  stood  with  pale  faces,  listening  for  a 
repetition  of  the  sound,  when  Sile  somewhat  rudely 
ended  our  surmises  by  exclaiming,  "  What  are  you 
waitin'  for,  boys?  You  don't  want  tew  go  out  at 


TO  BED.  117 

this  time  er  night  arter  that  painter,  do  yer?  'cause 
'tain't  worth  while,  if  yer  do." 

"  Is  that  a  panther,  Sile  ?  "   I  asked. 

"  Why,  of  course  'tis :  what  else  did  yer  think  it 
could  be  ?  " 

"  I  never  heard  any  thing  like  that  before,"  said  I. 

"I've  heerd  'em  a  hundred  times.  It  sounds 
skeery  at  first,  but  when  yer  remember  it's  a  painter 
yer  don't  mind  it  so  much :  leastways  I  don't.  So 
ye  may  as  well  go  on  tew  bed,  boys." 

After  they  were  fairly  gone  I  remarked  to  Sile 
that  I  had  heard  many  panthers  screech  before,  but 
never  such  a  peculiar  heart-rending  wail  as  this  one 
made. 

"  I  guess  it's  a  female  a-callin'  her  mate,"  was  the 
reply.  "  If  you've  got  any  curosity  'bout  it,  we'll 
slip  out  and  see." 

Just  at  that  moment  I  chanced  to  remember  a 
certain  night  adventure  with  old  Jerry  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nueces  in  Texas,  some  months  before,  and  I 
respectfully  but  firmly  declined  the  invitation  :  thus 
the  subject  was  summarily  dropped  for  the  night. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A   SUGGESTION. HAL   WANTS    A    GRIZZLY-HUNT. A    SUR- 
PRISE.  NED     SHOOTS     A   CUB.  HAL*S     EXPLANATIONS. 

WE      ARE     ATTACKED      BY     A      GRIZZLY.  THE      BOYS 

RETURN.  WHY    THEY    LEFT.  SILE'S     QUERY.  TWO 

CUBS. 

SOON  after  starting  the  following  morning,  Sile 
rode  up  beside  me,  and  said,  "  Where  be  yeou 
expectin'  tew  buy  your  cattle,  squire  ?  " 

"  I  have  supposed,  from  what  you  and  Jerry  said, 
that  the  best  place  would  be  in  the  San  Jose  Valley." 

"  That's  my  way  of  thinkin'  ;  and  I  didn't  know, 
as  long  as  you  was  goin'  so  near,  but  you'd  like  tew 
take  a  look  at  them  quicksilver-mines  up  in  the 
mountains ;  they  ain't  more'n  a  dozen  miles  out  of 
our  way,  and  are  worth  seein',  sure." 

"I'd  like  nothing  so  well,"  said  I:  "we'd  better 
visit  them  before  we  buy  our  cattle,  had  we  not, 
Sile?" 

"  That  would  be  my  way  of  thinking,  and  I  guess 
I'll  strike  for  them  mines  instead  'er  the  town." 

"  All  right,  Sile :  I'm  glad  you  spoke  of  it,"  said  I. 

When  the  boys,  who  had  been  dawdling  behind, 

118 


HAL  WANTS  A   GRIZZLY-HUNT.  119 

came  up,  I  asked  them  how  they  would  like  such  a 
visit.  Ned  at  once  declared  he  would  like  it  above 
all  things ;  but  Hal  believed  he  would  a  great  deal 
rather  have  a  grizzly-hunt. 

"  Maybe  we  kin  have  both,"  remarked  Sile : 
44  there's  grizzlies  all  through  these  mountains,  and 
we're  likely  ter  meet  one  most  any  day." 

"  That's  what  I  want  to  meet  more  than  any  thing 
else,"  shouted  Hal.  "  It  must  be  bully  to  see  a  real 
live  grizzly  out  in  the  woods  :  I  sha'n't  ever  be  satis- 
fied till  I've  seen  one." 

44  One'll  be  plenty,  sonny :  you  won't  ever  want 
ter  see  another,"  remarked  Sile. 

44  As  for  me,  I'd  a  great  deal  rather  hear  Sile  tell 
us  about  the  Indians  that  he  trapped  among,  than,  to 
see  all  the  grizzlies  in  the  mountains,"  said  Ned. 

44  So  had  I,  Ned;  and  I  reckon  we  must  get  him  to 
do  it,"  was  my  reply. 

44  What  do  you  say,  Sile  ?  While  we  are  riding 
along  can't  you  begin  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

44  I'd  rather  do  it  arter  we  git  inter  camp  at  night. 
Yer  see,  talkin'  allus  takes  a  man's  mind  away  from 
his  bizness  ;  and  a  feller  wants  his  eyes  and  ears  both 
wide  open  when  he's  trav'lin'  through  any  new 
country." 

44 1  can  see  that  you  are  right  about  that,  Sile," 
said  1 :  44  suppose  we  ride  ahead,  boys,  and  let  Sile 
attend  to  the  team." 

Our  trail  led  through  a  section  of  country  more 
heavily  timbered  than  any  we  had  yet  seen :  dense 


120  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

forests  of  pine,  spruce,  fir,  and  cedar,  with  but  little 
underbrush,  surrounded  us  upon  all  sides.  Occasion- 
ally we  would  come  to  an  opening  comprising  many 
acres,  as  smooth  and  beautiful  as  any  gentleman's 
well-kept  lawn,  and  dotted  here  and  there  with  a 
large  live-oak,  that  added  greatly  to  the  picturesque 
beauty  of  the  scene. 

After  riding  in  silence  for  some  time,  admiring  the 
many  beauties  of  the  landscape,  Hal  rather  unex- 
pectedly said,  — 

"  I'm  going  back.  I'd  a  heap  rather  be  with  the 
mules  than  riding  along  as  stupidly  as  we  are  ; "  and, 
wheeling  his  pony,  he  galloped  towards  the  train, 
while  Ned  and  myself  continued  on. 

Suddenly  the  boy,  who  was  a  little  in  advance, 
stopped  his  horse,  and  said,  — 

"  What  is  that  down  there  ?  " 

I  looked,  but  seeing  nothing  replied,  "  Probably  a 
stump  or  rock." 

"  No,  it's  some  kind  of  an  animal :  it  looks  like  a 
bear." 

This  instantly  aroused  me;  and,  looking  in  the 
direction  indicated,  I  soon  discovered  a  young  bear, 
about  as  large  as  a  calf,  rolling  over  and  over  upon 
the  pine-cones  with  which  the  ground  was  thickly 
strewn,  and  evidently  having  a  jolly  time  all  by  itself. 

"  It's  a  cub,"  said  I :  "  shoot  it,  Ned ;  take  careful 
aim,  just  behind  the  left  fore-shoulder ;  don't  be  in 
a  hurry,  take  your  "  — 

Before  I  had  time  to  finish  the  sentence,  the  boy 


SHOOTS  A  CUB.  121 

fired ;  and  with  a  convulsive  leap  the  little  fellow 
rolled  over  upon  his  side,  dead. 

"  That's  a  young  grizzly,  Ned,  as  sure's  you're 
born  ;  "  said  I,  as  we  dismounted.  "  Hold  on  !  you 
haven't  reloaded  yet ;  and  that's  the  first  thing  a 
good  hunter  always  does  after  he  fires." 

"  But  I  ain't  a  good  hunter,"  cried  the  boy,  so 
excited  and  nervous  that  he  could  hardly  speak 
intelligibly  ;  hastily  setting  his  rifle  against  the 
nearest  tree,  he  dashed  down  the  hill  to  inspect  his 
game. 

At  this  moment  I  heard  the  sound  of  horses'  feet, 
and  looking  up  saw  Sile  and  Hal,  whom  the  report 
of  the  rifle  had  evidently  caused  to  hurry  forward. 

"  What  is  it?  "  anxiously  inquired  Hal,  who  was 
a  little  in  the  advance. 

"  Ned's  shot  a  grizzly,"  was  my  answer. 

"  Shot  a  granny,  I  guess,"  shouted  he  in  return. 
"  You  can't  play  that  on  me.  What  is  it,  though  ?  " 

At  this  moment  he  caught  sight  of  Ned  in  the 
bushes;  and, springing  from  his  horse,  started  to  join 
him,  leaving  his  rifle  swinging  in  its  loop,  attached 
to  the  pommel  of  his  saddle. 

"  Stop,  Hal !  that's  no  way  to  leave  your  horse," 
said  I ;  but  paying  no  heed  to  my  remonstrance, 
in  his  anxiety  to  see  Ned's  game,  he  dashed  away 
into  the  bushes :  the  next  instant  we  heard  a  loud 
"  hough,  hough,"  a  noise  between  a  wheeze,  a 
grunt,  and  a  roar,  and  about  the  most  frightful  one 
I  ever  heard,  for  it  caused  my  hair  to  almost  stand 
on  end. 


122  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

What  it  was  I  could  not  imagine,  until  I  saw  Sile 
throw  himself  out  of  his  saddle,  and  heard  him 
exclaim, — 

"  Good  God  !  it's  a  grizzly,  sartin." 

I  grasped  my  rifle,  and,  leaving  the  horses,  started 
after  Sile,  who  was  hurrying  towards  the  place  from 
whence  the  noise  had  come,  and  was  just  in  time  to 
see  the  boys  rushing  through  the  bushes,  followed 
by  a  large  bear.  Sile  instantly  fired  :  this  drew  the 
attention  of  the  bear  towards  us,  and  with  an  angry 
roar  she  turned. 

I  shall  never  forget  my  sensations  when  I  saw  the 
huge  beast,  with  open  mouth  and  lolling  tongue, 
waddling  towards  us.  My  heart  fairly  ceased  to 
beat  for  a  moment.  Every  story  that  I  had  heard 
about  the  ferocity  of  grizzlies  flashed  like  lightning 
through  my  mind  ;  and  I  stood  there,  without 
attempting  to  fire,  while  Sile  discharged  chamber 
after  chamber  of  his  revolver  at  her,  apparently 
without  the  least  effect. 

On  she  came,  directly  towards  him.  I  could  see 
her  long  white  teeth  and  great  red  tongue,  and  I 
remember  wondering  if  he  was  going  to  use  his 
knife  ;  and  then  she  partly  raised  herself  upon  her 
hind-legs  as  if  to  embrace  him. 

The  next  instant  I  comprehended  the  situation 
perfectly,  and,  raising  my  rifle  as  coolly  as  though 
about  to  fire  at  a  mark,  took  deliberate,  careful  aim, 
and  fired  at  a  point  in  her  belly,  about  four  inches 
below  her  left  fore-leg. 


WE  ARE  ATTACKED   BY  A  GRIZZLY.  123 

She  appeared  to  stagger  a  little,  but,  recovering 
herself,  turned  her  attention  directly  towards  me. 
Drawing  my  revolver,  I  gave  her  the  contents  of 
three  chambers ;  then  I  saw  her  stop,  and  with  a 
kind  of  wheezy  growl  she  settled  back  upon  her 
haunches,  and  finally  rolled  over  upon  her  side, 
dead. 

The  next  instant  I  felt  as  though  something 
within  me  had  given  way.  I  heard  Sile  say  some- 
thing :  what  it  was,  I  did  not  know  ;  but  trembling 
with  excitement,  and  so  weak  that  I  could  with 
difficulty  stand,  I  walked  towards  the  huge  lifeless 
carcass. 

Sile,  who  was  already  beside  it,  said,  — 

"  Wai,  squire,  she's  a  whopper." 

My  reply  was,  "  Where  are  the  boys  ?  " 

44  Gone  arter  the  hosses,  I  guess  :  leastways  the 
hosses  hev  gone,  and  so's  the  boys,"  was  his  answer. 

Then  bursting  into  a  loud  laugh  I  said,  "  Well, 
Sile,  I  thought  we  were  both  done  for." 

"  Wai,  I  kinder  thought  Ephraim  and  us'd  come 
tew  clus  quarters,  'cause  yeou  was  so  long  about 
firm'  at  him." 

44  Did  I  hesitate  ?  "  inquired  I. 

44  Wai,  it  seemed  tew  me  'bout  half  an  hour  arter 
I  fired  my  last  charge,  afore  I  heerd  the  crack  er  your 
rifle.  Yer  see,  I  didn't  dar'st  tew  turn  my  head, 
cause  I  hed  tew  look  the  critter 'n  the  face,  and  I 
didn't  know  what  yeou  was  a-doin' ;  but  it  seemed 
a  awful  while  afore  yeou  fired.  I  knowed  though 


124  CKOSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

when  I  see  your  ball  strike,  what  yeou'd  bin  a-wait- 
ing  for,  and  that  yeou'd  saved  me  from  a  all-fired 
hiiggin'." 

"  Did  you  ?  "  said  I  in  an  incredulous  tone. 

At  this  moment  we  heard  the  train  coming ;  and  I 
said,  "  I  wonder  if  the  boys  are  with  them,  Sile.  I 
wish  you'd  see." 

He  started  to  intercept  the  train ;  and  I  was  glad 
of  an  opportunity  to  seat  myself  upon  the  carcass, 
and  await  his  return.  He  came  back  presently,  and 
said,  — 

"  They've  got  the  bosses,  but  hain't  seen  nothing 
er  the  boys." 

"I  wonder  where  they  can  have  gone  to?"  said 
I.  "  We  must  find  'em."  • 

"  I  guess  likely  Hal's  started  for  home  now  he's 
seen  a  live  grizzly,  arid  p'r'aps  Ned's  gone  tew  keep 
him  company,"  was  Sile's  reply.  "  'Twon't  do  tew 
let  them  mules  stop,  or  they'll  be  lyin'  down :  so 
I'll  just  tell  Jose  tew  keep  on  till  he  finds  water  and 
grass,  and  then  camp,  and  bring  a  couple  on  'em  back 
for  these  'ere  carcasses.  The  boys'll  come  'round 
when  they've  got  threw  runnin' ;  they  was  a-heelin' 
of  it  lively,  when  I  seed  'em  last ; "  and  Sile  went  to 
give  the  necessary  orders  to  the  train,  and  secure  our 
horses,  soon  returning  with  Ned's  rifle,  which  he 
found  standing  by  the  tree  where  it  had  been  left. 

"  By  thunder,  squire !  but  she's  a  whopper  though," 
said  Sile,  as  we  stood  looking  at  the  huge  carcass 
stretched  out  before  us,  "  an'  as  fat  as  butter  too. 


THE  BOYS   RETURN.  125 

Yer  see,  tacklin'  tha|  cub's  what  raised  the  mischief 
with  her :  they'll  fight  like  Satan  for  their  young 
ones  any  time.  Who  shot  that  ?  " 

"  Ned,"  answered  I. 

"  Did  he  though  ?  wal,  that's  a  good  one.  Ha,  ha, 
ha !  how  t'other  one  will  squirm  when  he  sees  it,  and 
he  all  the  time  wantin'  tew  see  a  live  grizzly,  wild  in 
the  woods  !  Wal,  wal ! "  continued  he  in  a  reflective 
tone,  "  arter  all,  that's  the  way  with  human  natur'." 

"  What  is,  Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Why,  here  he's  bin  wishin'  he  might  see  one  of 
these  critters,  ever  sence  we  started ;  and,  the  first 
time  he  got  his  wish,  he  wouldn't  stop  tew  look  at 
it.  She  was  a  tough  one  though  :  'leven  balls  in  her 
old  skin  as  sartin  as  yeou're  a  live  man." 

"  Perhaps  some  of  them  missed  her,"  suggested  I. 

"  We'll  see  when  we  come  tew  take  off  her  jacket 
for  her,"  was  the  answer,  as  he  stooped  over  to  meas- 
ure her.  "  Six  feet  nine  inches  long  and  six  feet 
'round,  if  she's  a  inch.  Shell  do,  she'll  do.  Halloo  ! 
I  hear  them  boys  a-comin',"  continued  he,  just  as 
one  of  the  ponies  whinnied.  "  Yer  see,  the  critters 
know  'em,  if  they  did  run  away." 

"  I  don't  blame  'em  for  running,"  said  I.  "  I  felt 
as  though  I  wanted  to  myself." 

"  If  all  on  us  hed  run,  some  of  us  wouldn't  hev 
got  very  fur  with  them  things  arter  us,"  said  Sile, 
calling  my  attention  to  the  creature's  enormous  claws. 
"  One  of  them  would  have  knocked  the  life  out  of 
us  as  easy  as  a  streak  er  chaiu-lightnin',  and  just 
about  as  quick  too." 


126  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  Halloo,  sonny !  "  shouted  he,  as  the  boys  ap- 
peared looking  decidedly  foolish.  "  Where  on  airth 
yer  bin  ?  " 

"  I  got  scart  and  legged  it,"  promptly  answered 
Ned.  "  I  tell  you,  I  never  want  to  see  another 
grizzly  as  long  as  I  live." 

"I  wasn't  scared,"  said  Hal,  "but  was  surprised: 
you  see,  the  old  fellow  come  upon  me  so  suddenly, 
with  that  '  hough,  hough!  '  of  his,  that  I  felt  kind 
of  bewildered." 

"  How  do  yeou  spell  that  word,  sonny  ?  "  inquired 
Sile.  "  When  I  was  a  boy  we  used  tew  spell  it 
s-c-a-r-t.  I  don't  s'pose  yeou  spell  it  so  now,  eh  ?  " 

"  You  don't  think  I  was  scared,  I  hope,"  demanded 
Hal. 

"  N-o-o,"  replied  Sile :  "  only  me  an'  the  squire  was 
a-wonderin',  when  yeouVe  been  wantin'  tew  see  a 
grizzly  so  bad  ever  sence  we  started,  why  on  airth 
yer  didn't  stop  tew  look  at  him  when  yer  hed  such 
a  stavin'  good  chance." 

u  I  did  get  a  good  look  at  him,"  said  the  boy. 

"  Did  yer?  Wai,  yer  found  one  look  was  enuff,  as 
I  told  yer  'twould  be  ;  didn't  yer  ?  " 

"  If  I'd  had  my  rifle"  —began  Hal. 

"  You'd  have  done  just  what  you  did  without  it, 
—  turn  tail  and  run,  frightened  half  out  of  your 
wits,"  interrupted  I.  "  Whose  fault  was  it  that  you 
didn't  have  your  rifle?  Where  is  it  now?  Who 
ever  before  heard  of  a  hunter's  leaving  his  rifle 
swinging  at  his  saddle-bow  while  he  went  into  the 


TWO  CUBS.  127 

woods  to  see  a  grizzly  ?  We've  had  enough  of  this 
kind  of  talk,  Hal :  don't  let  us  hear  you  mention  the 
word  '  grizzly '  again  while  on  the  trip.  You  did 
just  what  we  all  knew  you'd  do  if  you  ever  met  a 
grizzly,  and  have  settled  the  matter  for  all  time. 
Now,  don't  let  me  remind  you  of  this  again." 

Seeing  that  I  was  thoroughly  in  earnest,  neither 
of  the  boys  replied ;  but  Sile,  who  was  busily  engaged 
removing  the  skin  from  the  carcass,  looked  up  with 
a  sly  wink,  and  said,  — 

"  Hadn't  he  better  be  gettin'  that  cub  inter  camp  ? 
we  shall  want  some  steaks  out  er  that,  for  supper ; 
an'  then,  we  ought  tew  kind  'er  get  the  two  together, 
I  s'pose. 

"  The  two  what  ?  "  asked  Hal,  looking  very  fierce. 

"  Tew  cubs,"  responded  Sile  very  quietly. 

"  No,"  said  I :  "  Ned's  able  to  get  his  own  game  into 
camp ; "  then  turning  to  Hal  I  remarked,  "  You'd 
better  go  and  find  your  rifle." 

"  Where  is  it  ?  "  inquired  the  boy. 

"  How  should  I  know  ?  go  and  find  it ; "  and  Hal 
started  slowly  toward  the  horses. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

OUR   CONCLUSIONS. NED*S    STATEMENT. A     GRIZZLY'S     A 

GRIZZLY,  BIG  OR  LITTLE.  HOW   TO    DRESS  SKINS. THE 

PROCESS.  WHOSE    BRAINS.  WHICH     SHALL    IT     BE? 

SILE'S     OPINION. — HE    THINKS     HAL    IGNORANT     OF    THE 
SUBJECT   OF   TANNING. 

BY  dint  of  much  questioning  after  Hal's  departure, 
Sile  and  myself  arrived  at  the  following  conclu- 
sions relative  to  the  boy's  disappearance :  — 

The  old  bear  was  probably  tying  asleep  in  some 
thicket,  close  by  the  spot  where  Ned  shot  the  cub. 
Hal,  in  his  anxiety  to  ascertain  what  Ned  had  shot, 
dashed  into  the  thicket  so  abruptly  that  he  startled 
her  into  uttering  that  peculiarly  frightful  noise,  be- 
tween a  grunt  and  roar,  that  the  grizzly  always 
makes  when  suddenly  disturbed. 

Hal,  catching  sight  of  the  bear,  and  frightened  by 
the  really  terrific  noise,  started  off  pell-mell  through 
the  bushes;  and  Ned,  knowing  about  the  cub,  sus- 
pected the  noise  came  from  its  dam,  and,  seeing  the 
bushes  violently  agitated  as  the  bear  forced  her  way 
through  them,  started  after  Hal,  whom  he  saw  in  the 
distance. 

128 


OUR   CONCLUSIONS.  129 

It  is  a  peculiarity  of  the  grizzly,  that  it  will  always 
leave  any  object  it  is  pursuing,  for  a  fresh  subject : 
and  Sile's  shot  not  only  diverted  her  attention  from 
the  boys  to  him,  but  wounded  her  as  well.  Turning 
in  her  rage  towards  Sile,  the  boys  were  enabled  to 
make  good  their  escape,  which  they  could  never  have 
done  by  running,  for  a  grizzly  will  travel  as  fast  as  a 
good  horse  ;  their  only  other  possible  chance  being 
to  climb  a  tree,  a  feat  impossible  for  a  grizzly  to 
perform. 

Hearing  our  shots,  and  concluding  that  we  must 
have  been  successful  in  overcoming  him,  they  con- 
cluded to  return. 

"  It  wasn't  a  very  brave  thing  to  do ;  but  I  declare 
I  don't  believe  any  thing  could  have  kept  me  from 
running,  I  was  so  frightened,"  said  Ned.  "  Hal  was 
scared  too :  he  needn't  say  he  wasn't,  because,  when 
he  heard  me  following  him,  he  thought  it  was  the 
bear ;  he  told  me  so,  and  if  he  hadn't  been  some 
scared  he'd  never  take  me  for  a  bear,  would  he  ?  " 

"  I've  found  ten  o'  the  bullets,  and  the  other  one's 
somewhere  'round,"  said  Sile,  looking  up  from  his 
work  with  an  amused  expression  upon  his  face. 
"Somebody  ought  tew  be  skinnin'  that  'ere  cub." 
Then  pausing,  he  added,  u  'cause  that  meat  11  make 
better  steak  than  this  'ere :  'tain't  so  tuff  for  them  as 
likes  bar-meat;  I  don't  care  nothin'  about  it  'ceptin' 
with  honey,  and  we  hain't  got  none  er  that." 

"  Well,  Sile,  I  think  I  can  manage  to  take  that 
little  fellow's  jacket  off:  I'll  start  it  anyhow,"  said  I. 


130  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  No,  yer  needn't ;  here  comes  Jose  with  the 
mules :  he'll  take  it  off  mighty  quick.  —  Here,  Jose," 
called  he,  "  get  this  little  shaver  ready  for  camp." 

"  Esta  bueno,  senor,"  1  was  the  reply,  as  the  Mexi- 
can went  to  work  in  a  manner  that  convinced  us 
that  Sile's  estimate  of  his  ability  had  been  entirely 
correct. 

"  Now,  sonny,  you'd  better  watch  and  see  how 
Jos6  does  it :  'cause  maybe  sometime,  when  yeou  git 
tew  be  a  lucky  hunter,  yeou  may  hev  tew  do  the  job 
yourself.  Thar  ain't  many  boys  of  your  age  that  kin 
say  they've  killed  a  grizzly." 

"  It  wasn't  a  grizzly,  it  was  only  a  cub,"  replied 
Ned. 

"  A  grizzly's  a  grizzly,  whether  it's  big  or  little," 
responded  Sile.  "  You've  done  a  big  thing  for  a  boy 
of  your  size  —  and  without  braggin'  too  ;  that's  what 
Sile  Carter  likes  about  it.  There,"  continued  he, 
holding  up  the  creature's  heart,  "  what'd  I  tell  you  ? 
thar's  the  place  where  your  ball  went  plumb  through 
her  heart:  that  was  a  good  shot,  squire.  But  jest 
see  the  rolls  er  fat :  it's  currus  how  these  critters 
keep  so  fat,  ain't  it  ?  " 

Just  at  this  moment  Hal  came  up  with  his  rifle  on 
his  shoulder ;  and  I  said  to  him,  "  You  found  it,  I 
see." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  was  his  reply. 

"  Well,  Hal,  never,  under  any  circumstances,  leave 
your  rifle  again,  as  you  left  it  this  afternoon :  you're 

1  Very  good,  sir. 


HOW  TO  DRESS   SKINS.  131 

a  lucky  fellow  to  find  it  at  all.  Now  take  hold  here, 
and  help  Sile." 

"I  believe  I've  got  about  through,"  said  Sile. 
"  We  sha'n't  want  tew  take  this  whole  carcass  inter 
camp :  so  I'll  pick  out  the  best  parts,  and  leave  the 
rest." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  all  that  fat?" 
inquired  Hal. 

"  Eat  it,"  was  the  answer:  "  it's  just  as  sweet  as 
good  fresh  butter." 

"  You  won't  catch  me  eating  it,"  replied  the  boy. 

"  Then  there'll  be  all  the  more  for  the  rest  of  us," 
said  Sile.  "  Eatin'  ain't  no  thin'  but  a  notion  any- 
how :  thar's  many  a  thing  that  I've  found  tew  be 
first-rate,  that  I  wouldn't  have  touched  when  I  was 
a  boy ;  but  it's  only  because  we  ain't  brought  up  to 
it." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  this  skin  ?  "  in- 
quired Hal. 

"  Dress  it,  same  as  the  Injuns  do,  and  have  it  tew 
sleep  on." 

"How  do  the  Indians  dress  their  skins  ? "  in- 
quired Ned. 

44  Pooh  !  I  can  tell  you  that,"  interrupted  Hal. 
44  When  I  was  with  the  Apaches  I  used  to  see  'em 
dress"  — 

44 1  asked  Sile,"  said  Ned;  "and  if  you'U  let  him 
answer,  I'll  be  obliged  to  you." 

44 1  know  just  as  much  about  it  as  Sile  does,"  re- 
sponded Hal. 


132  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Now,  Hal,  what  nonsense !  how  can  you  know  as 
much  about  it  as  Sile  ?  " 

44  Why,  don't  you  know  some  folks  have  a  knack 
of  seeing  a  thing  once,  and  knowing  all  about  it  ?  " 

"  Same  as  yeou  see'd  this  old  feller  here,  and 
know'd  all  about  him  in  less'n  a  minit,  eh?"  said 
Sile ;  then  turning  to  Ned  he  replied,  — 

"  One  thing  at  a  time,  sonny :  I  can't  talk  and 
work  too.  Yeou  wait  till  we  git  intew  camp  ter- 
night,  and  I'll  tell  yer  'bout  dressin'  skins." 

Having  by  this  time  loaded  the  carcasses  upon  the 
mules,  we  mounted  our  horses,  and  after  half  an 
hour's  brisk  gallop  reached  camp,  which  we  found 
located  upon  the  banks  of  a  beautiful  stream,  in  the 
midst  of  a  grove  of  magnificent  pines  whose  dark 
tops  interlacing,  formed  a  perfect  roof,  far  above  our 
heads. 

Although  weary  and  worn  with  the  excitement  of 
the  day,  I  found  myself  making  a  hearty  supper  of 
the  juicy  steaks  furnished  from  Ned's  cub  ;  and  after 
I  had  finished,  and  lighted  my  pipe,  I  listened  to 
Sile's  account  of  the  Indians'  manner  of  dressing 
skins  with  as  much  interest  as  did  Hal  and  Ned. 

Immediately  after  supper  was  over,  Sile  had  gone 
into  the  woods  ;  when  he  returned  he  had  with  him 
four  stout  straight  poles,  about  an  inch  and  a  half 
in  diameter  by  seven  feet  in  length. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  those?"  in- 
quired Hal,  as  Sile  seated  himself  by  the  fire. 

"  Set  down,  boys,  and  I'll  show  ye,"  was  the  reply. 


THE  PROCESS.  133 

"  I'm  goin'  tew  make  a  stretcher  tew  dry  this  skin. 
Yer  see,  the  first  thing  the  Injuns  do  in  dressin'  a 
skin  is  tew  stretch  it ;  this  is  gen'rally  done  by  peg- 
gin'  it  tew  the  ground,  hair  side  down,  and  lettin'  it 
dry  in  the  sun ;  but  as  we're  on  the  road,  and  can't 
spend  the  time  for  that,  I'm  goin'  tew  stretch  this 
one,  on  that  frame,  and  dry  it  as  well  as  I  can,  afore 
the  fire  ter-night." 

"  Will  it  dry  enough  in  one  night  ?  "  inquired 
Ned. 

"  I  guess  so :  leastways  by  gittin'  up  two  or  three 
times,  and  turnin'  the  frame,  and  keepin'  up  a  good 
fire,  I  reckon  I  shel  be  able  tew  work  it.  There  ain't 
nothin'  like  tryin'  in  this  world,  boys :  nobody  kin 
tell  what  they  kin  do  afore  they  try. 

"  Arter  the  skin  gits  stretched,  the  next  thing  tew 
do  is  to  scrape  every  mite  of  flesh  off  of  the  inside 
of  it.  This  is  done  with  a  little  tool  made  of  bone : 
it  looks  like  a  little  adze,  only  the  edge  of  it's  more 
like  a  saw. 

"  Arter  the  skin  dries  a  little,  it's  scraped  with 
another  bone  tool,  and  then  smeared  all  over  with 
the  brains  of  the  critter  itself,  and  rolled  up,  flesh 
side  in,  and  left  for  two  or  three  days.  Arter  the 
brains  has  kinder  soaked  intew  the  pores  of  the  skin 
like,  and  it  gits  soft,  they  wet  it,  and  then  rub  it  till 
it  gits  dry ;  this  they  do  half  a  dozen  times,  some- 
times with  pumice-stone,  and  sometimes  by  drawin' 
it  back  and  forth  over  a  small  rope,  slack  stretched, 
between  two  poles,  till  it's  as  soft  as  a  piece  of  cloth." 


134  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  But  suppose  they  want  to  dress  it  for  clothing, 
and  want  the  hair  all  off,"  said  Ned. 

"  Then  they  soak  the  skin  in  some  creek  or  pond, 
till  the  hair  begins  to  get  loose,  when  they  pull  it  out 
with  their  hands,  and  treat  the  skin  as  they  allers  do. 
So  yer  see,  boys,  it's  all  in  knowin'  how.  Thar 
ain't  no  skin  that  you  can't  dress  that  way. 

"  Now,  I  hain't  told  you  this,  expectin'  yeou  boys 
are  goin'  tew  set  up  a  tan-yard  as  soon  as  yer  git 
hum ;  'cause  yeou  hain't  got  squaws  enuff  to  make  a 
profitable  bizness  of  it." 

"  Do  the  squaws  dress  all  the  skins?"  inquired 
Ned. 

"  Of  course  they  do ;  besides  carryin'  wood,  mak- 
in'  fires,  skinnin'  and  dressiii'  meat,  cookin'  the  food, 
herdin',  drivin',  and  saddlin'  the  horses,  pitchin'  and 
strikin'  the  lodges,  packin'  baggage,  and  every  thing 
else  'ceptin'  huntin'  and  fightin' ;  them  two  things 
the  bucks  'tend  to." 

"  Who  make  the  moccasons  and  leather  petti- 
coats ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  The  squaws,  of  course :  they  do  every  bit  of 
work  that's  done  about  the  camp,  whatever  'tis." 

"  Well,  they  must  have  a  pretty  hard  time  of  it," 
said  Ned. 

"  So  they  do,"  was  the  reply  :  "  but  they're  used 
to  it ;  and,  arter  we  git  used  to  a  thing,  we  don't 
mind  it  so  much,  you  know." 

"  Have  you  got  the  grizzly's  brains,  Sile  ?  "  asked 
Hal. 


HAL  IGNORANT   OF  THE   SUBJECT   OP  TANNING.  135 

"  Got  the  grizzly's  brains  ? "  repeated  Sile  in  a 
tone  of  inquiry.  u  No,  sir'ee,  I've  got  my  own  :  the 
grizzly's  are  in  her  own  head ;  but  I  brought  the  head 
along,  and,  if  yeou're  up  airly  enough,  yeou  kin  see 
me  take  'em  out." 

"  I  mean  to  dress  the  skin  of  every  animal  I 
shoot,  after  this,"  said  Ned.  "  I'd  no  idea  it  was  such 
easy  work." 

"  It  does  look  kinder  easy,  but  it  took  me  a  good 
many  years  to  larn  it,"  replied  Sile. 

"Can't  you  tell  us  something  about  trapping, 
Sile  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"  First  it's  Injuns,  and  then  it's  trappin'.  I  never 
seed  sich  boys :  yeou  want  ter  larn  all  a  feller  knows, 
and  want  ter  do  it  in  a  minit  too." 

"  Come,  Ned,  let's  go,"  said  Hal :  "  there's  no  use 
of  talking  to  any  one  as  cross  as  he  is.  I  can  tell 
you  as  much  about  Indians  and  trapping  as  Sile 
Carter  can,  and  in  half  the  time  too." 

Ned  only  laughed,  and  remained  with  Sile,  who 
shook  his  head  slowly,  and  turned  towards  me  say- 
ing, — 

"  If  that  Hal  don't  beat  every  thing  I  ever  «eed  in 
the  shape  of  a  boy,  I'll  be  switched.  He  may  know 
somethin'  'bout  Injuns  and  trappin' ;  but  he  don't 
know  half  so  much  'bout  tannirf  as  he  would  V 
done  if  I'd  bin  his  father." 

"Oh,  well,  Sile!"  said  I,  "Hal's  but  a  boy  yet: 
he'll  learn  as  he  grows  older." 


136  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Larn  ?  he  don't  think  he  can  lain  any  thing : 
he  knows  it  all  now,  and  kin  tell  it  in  a  minit  too, 
though  he  thinks  he  couldn't  in  a  year ; "  and  Sile 
walked  away  as  though  his  opinion  fully  settled 
it. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

TRAPPERS  AND  TRAPPING. IKE  MCKENZI-E  AND  THE  SILVER 

FOX. HOW  TO  SET  A  FOX-TRAP. SMOKE  AND  LYE.  

THE  VALUE  OF  SKINS.  HOW  TO  MANAGE  A  PACK-TRAIN. 

— "  'TEND  TO  YER    OWN    BIZNESS   IF   YER  WANT    IT 
TENDED  TO."  HAL  DOUBTS  FOX  AND  GEESE. 

THE  next  morning,  when  we  resumed  our  journey, 
Sile  had  evidently  recovered  his  good  humor; 
Ned  was  in  the  best  of  spirits ;  and  Hal  had  quite 
forgotten  his  little  wordy  encounter  with  Sile  the 
night  previous. 

It  was  a  glorious  day,  even  for  California ;  and 
every  one  seemed  to  appreciate  the  clear  dry  air  and 
magnificent  sunshine. 

As  we  rode  carelessly  along,  Sile  appeared  to  for- 
get his  usual  aversion  to  talking  on  the  road,  and 
went  into  a  dissertation  upon  trappers  and  trapping 
in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  that  proved  very  interesting 
to  the  boys,  enlightening  them  upon  the  most  valu- 
able skins,  and  how  to  obtain  them  with  the  least 
trouble,  until  his  listeners,  deeply  impressed  with  his 
descriptions  of  the  wild,  careless  life  of  the  trapper, 

137 


138  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

declared  their  settled  intention  to  take  to  that  man- 
ner of  life  immediately  upon  their  return  home. 

Indeed,  Hal  applied  for  permission  to  visit  San 
Francisco,  and  purchase  a  quantity  of  traps,  declar- 
ing that  they  "  could  pa}'  for  them  with  two  silver- 
fox  skins." 

"  Yes,  but  where  do  you  expect  to  find  the  silver- 
fox  skins  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Oh !  up  in  the  mountains,  back  of  the  ranch," 
replied  the  excited  boy. 

"  But  there  are  no  silver-foxes  there :  they  are  only 
found  in  the  much  more  northern  portions  of  the 
country,  and  are  exceedingly  rare  even  there,"  said 
I.  "  Ask  Sile  to  tell  you  how  many  of  these  little 
animals  he  ever  trapped,  and  whether  they  were 
easily  caught  or  not." 

Spurring  my  horse  forward  by  the  side  of  Sile's,  I 
listened  for  his  answer. 

"  Wai,  I've  ketched  three  in  all,  and  they  was  the 
hardest  critters  to  trap  I  ever  ketched :  one  on  'em'll 
make  a  feller  more  trouble  than  all  the  others, 
martens  or  minks,  that  he'd  ketch  in  a  hull  winter." 

"  Can't  you  tell  us  how  you  trapped  'em  ?  "  in- 
quired Ned. 

"  Silver-foxes  ain't  no  thin'  but  a  streak  any  how," 
said  Sile. 

"  Streak  !  "  repeated  the  boy,  —  "  streak  of  what  ?  " 

"  Luck,"  sententiously  answered  Sile.  "  A  man 
might  trap  ten  years,  and  not  git  one.  They're  the 
slyest  critters  on  this  airth,  I  do  b'leve.  One  day  my 


SMOKE  AND  LYE.  139 

pard,  Ike  McKenzie,  came  in  at  night,  and  told  me 
he'd  seed  a  white  fox  that  day.  We  was  a-trappin' 
then  way  up  on  the  North  Fork  of  Clark's  River, 
right  on  tew  the  line ;  so  him  and  me  agreed  we'd 
set  a  trap  for  him.  We  took  a  reg'lar  fox-trap, 
and  washed  it  in  some  weak  lye,  and  then  greased  it, 
and  smoked  it  with  duck-feathers,  and  went  out  and 
found  the  critter's  track  just  where  Ike  seed  it,  and 
set  it." 

"  What  did  you  wash  it  in  lye  and  do  all  that 
for  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  So's  tew  destroy  the  scent,"  replied  Sile.  "  Yeou 
might  as  well  try  tew  ketch  a  streak  of  chain- 
lightnin'  with  a  tow  string,  as  to  ketch  one  of  'em  if 
yeou  tetch  the  trap  with  your  bare  hand :  they'll 
smell  it  half  a  mile  away." 

"  Arter  we  got  the  bed  made  "  — 

"  How'd  you  do  that  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"Why,  we  made  a  bed  of  moss  and  wood-ashes, 
about  two  feet  and  a  half  across,  and  two  inches 
deep.  We  hitched  the  trap  to  a  chunk  of  wood,  and 
buried  the  hull  thing  under  this  bed,  and  then  strewed 
some  pieces  of  raw  meat,  cheese,  and  sich  like,  on  top. 
Wai,  ev'ry  morning  that  bait  would  be  gone,  but 
the  trap  wouldn't  be  sprung :  finally  we  took  it  up 
and  scented  it  with  musk,  but  'twa'n't  no  go ;  he 
wouldn't  tetch  it.  Wai,  we  tried  buryin'  a  dead 
rabbit,  and  a  bird,  and  everything  we  could  think  of; 
and  the  critter  never  failed  tew  git  the  bait,  but  we 
never  seen  the  color  of  his  fur. 


140  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  At  last  we  tried  a  new  game.  We  sot  a  trap  un- 
der water,  in  the  edge  of  a  little  brook,  whar  we  see  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  comin'.  We  sot  the  trap  about 
a  foot  from  shore,  and  over  beyond,  say  a  foot  and  a 
half,  driv  a  stake  into  the  bottom  of  the  stream,  with 
a  dead  bird  tied,  so's  it  would  float  on  the  water. 

u  Ike  cut  a  piece  of  sod  just  large  enuff  tew  fit  in 
atween  the  jaws  of  the  trap,  and  come  above  the  top 
of  the  water,  and  laid  it  over  the  pan,  for  the  critter 
tew  step  on  when  he  reached  for  the  bird.  Then 
we  sprinkled  a  few  drops  of  musk  on  the  bait,  and 
kivered  up  our  tracks  as  well  as  we  could,  and  went 
hum.  The  next  mornin'  Mr.  Whitey  was  in  the 
trap,  and  as  putty  a  feller  he  was,  too,  as  I  ever  see 
ketch ed ;  but  I  tell  yeou,  boys,  we  had  a  heap  o' 
trouble  tew  git  him." 

"  How  much  did  you  get  for  his  skin  ?  "  inquired 
practical  Ned. 

"  Eighty-five  dollars,  in  St.  Louis,"  was  Sile's  an- 
swer ,  "  and  'twas  sold  cheap  at  that,  for  silver-foxes 
is  awful  scarce." 

"  What  would  you  think  of  the  project  of  catch- 
ing them  in  the  mountains  back  of  the  Buena  Vista 
ranch,  Sile?"  inquired  I. 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !  "  roared  Sile :  "  that's  a  good  one  ;  " 
but,  noticing  that  I  did  not  smile,  he  added,  "  Excuse 
me,  squire  r  I  thought  you  was  a-jokin'.  Them  critters 
are  only  ketched  in  the  very  coldest  countries.  Why, 
I  should  jest  as  soon  think  of  ketchin'  a  white  bar 
in  San  Diego  Harbor,  as  a  white  fox  in  the  mountains 
down  thar." 


HOW   TO  MANAGE  A  PACK-TEArN".  141 

"  Master  Hal  had  a  project  of  "  — 

"  Oh !  I  was  only  joking,"  interrupted  Hal.  "  I 
hope  you  didn't  think  I  was  in  earnest.  I  knew 
enough  to  know  that  those  animals  didn't  live  as  far 
south  as  that." 

"  Thar,  I  told  yer  that  a  man  hed  no  bizness  tew 
be  talkin'  on  the  road :  while  I've  been  yarnin'  it, 
we've  got  clar  out  o'  sight  er  the  train." 

"  Well,  suppose  we  have :  it's  all  right,  I  know," 
said  Hal.  "  I'll  ride  back  and  see,"  and,  wheeling 
his  pony,  he  started  on  the  back  track,  while  we 
rode  slowly  on. 

In  about  half  an  hour  he  overtook  us,  saying  that 
the  train  was  all  right,  but  had  been  detained  by  a 
couple  of  the  mules  lying  down. 

"  That's  it,"  said  Sile  :  "  if  a  man  don't  'tend  tew 
his  bizness,  he  needn't  expect  any  one'll  do  it  for 
him  ;  yer  see,  my  place  was  with  them  mules.  They 
never'd  laid  down  if  I'd  bin  along." 

"  What  harm  does  it  do  'em,  if  they  do  lie 
down  ?  "  queried  Hal. 

"  Harm  !  "  repeated  Sile :  "  why,  nine  times  out  'er 
ten,  if  a  pack-mule  lays  down  with  his  cargo,  on,  the 
muleteers  '11  make  him  git  up  without  onpackin'  him  ; 
and  that  Ml  spile  the  best  critter  that  ever  walked  in 
in  a  train." 

"  How  spoil  him  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

"  It  strains  'em  through  the  loins,  and  they  ain't 
wuth  a  cent  after  it.  I've  knowed  many  a  hundred 
dollars  throw'd  away  by  havin'  lazy  muleteers ;  and 


142  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

all  them  Mexicans  be  lazy,  nat'rally.  Yer  see,  if  a 
train  is  allowed  tew  stop  on  the  road  a  minit,  some  o' 
the  mules'll  be  sure  tew  lay  down ;  and  then  they 
ought  tew  be  onpacked  afore  they're  made  tew  git 
up.  There  ain't  no  way  for  a  man  tew  do,  but  to 
'tend  tew  his  bizness,  if  he  wants  it  'tended  tew ;  so 
I'll  ride  along  back,  and  'tend  tew  mine  ; "  and  Sile 
wheeled  his  horse,  and  started  to  join  the  train. 

We  rode  along  for  some  distance,  enjoying  the 
beauties  of  the  day  and  landscape  in  silence,  which 
was  finally  broken  by  Hal's  exclaiming,  — 

"  Do  you  know,  I  don't  more  than  half  believe 
Sile's  yarn  about  that  fox  ?  " 

"  Why  not  ?"  inquired  Ned. 

"  Anybody  might  know  that  a  fox  couldn't  steal 
that  bait,  as  Sile  says  he  did,  if  the  trap  was  set  as  it 
ought  to  be.  He  tried  to  make  it  out  that  a 
fox  is  an  awful  cunning  creature  ;  but  the  fact  is, 
Sile  ain't  a  very  good  trapper,  and  so  he  laid  it  on  to 
the  fox." 

"  Now,  I've  always  heard  that  the  fox  is  the  slyest 
and  most  cunning  of  all  animals,"  rejoined  Ned ; 
"  and  I  believe  every  word  Sile  told  us." 

"  What  do  you  know  about  foxes  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

"  I  never  saw  one ;  but  I've  read  about  'em  in 
books.  I  know  as  much  as  you  do,  any  way,"  was 
the  reply. 

"  Know  as  much  as  I  do  !  "  retorted  Hal.  "  Have 
you  ever  lived  among  the  Apaches?  " 

"  What  did  you  learn  about  foxes  during  the  two 


HAL  DOUBTS   FOX  AND  GEESE.  143 

or  three  weeks  you  were  with  the  Apaches  ? "  in- 
quired I. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  as  "  — 

"  That  won't  do,  Hal :  give  me  a  direct  answer  to 
my  question." 

"  I  didn't  say  I  learned  any  thing,"  was  the  boy's 
reply. 

"  Nor  did  you,  Hal :  yet  you  endeavored  to  con- 
vey the  impression  that  you  did  ;  this  was  nothing 
more  nor  less  than  an  attempt  to  deceive  us  into 
the  belief  that  you  possessed  a  knowledge  of  the 
habits  of  the  fox,  when,  in  reality,  you  know  nothing 
at  all  of  them." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  do  !  "  replied  the  boy  ;  "  because  I've 
read  about  them  in  fables." 

"  What  is  a  fable,  Hal  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  A  fable  is  a  st-o-ry  about  "  — 

"  Of  fiction,  told  to  enforce  some  moral  truth," 
said  I,  finishing  the  sentence  for  him.  "Now,  I 
don't  think  you  ever  read  a  fable  in  which  a  fox  was 
not  represented  as  a  sly,  cunning  fellow,  always 
ready  to  save  himself  at  the  expense  of  others." 

"  Yes,  Hal.  I  think  you  was  a  little  foxy  on  that 
Apache  business,"  said  Ned,  interrupting  our  con- 
versation. 

"I  wasn't  a  bit  foxy,  as  you  call  it,"  replied  Hal 
angrily. 

"  Then  you  must  have  thought  me,  on  the  goose 
order,"  retorted  Ned. 

"  You're  as  much  on  the  goose  order  as  I  was  on 
the  fox,"  replied  Hal. 


144  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  That  may  be  ;  but  I'll  tell  you  one  thing,  Hal 
Hyde  :  there'll  have  to  be  a  smarter  fox  and  bigger 
goose  about  here,  before  any  one'll  be  caught  by  your 
Apache  experience." 

44  There,  boys,"  interrupted  I,  laughing,  "that  will 
do  :  don't  let  me  hear  any  more  talk  like  this ;  it's 
neither  pleasant  nor  profitable.  Hal  sees  as  plainly 
as  anybody,  that  he's  constantly  getting  himself  into 
trouble  by  endeavoring  to  impress  others  with  a 
false  idea  of  his  own  knowledge.  Now,  Hal,  I  hope 
that  I  sha'n't  have  occasion  to  refer  to  this  subject 
again.  Suppose  we  stop  here,  and  let  our  horses 
have  a  taste  of  this  fresh  grass,  and  wait  the  arrival 
of  the  train.  Perhaps  Sile  will  conclude  to  camp 
here." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

SILE  SHOOTS  A  DEER.  —  TRAPPING.  —  HOW  INDIAN  BRAVES 
BECOME  WARRIORS.  -  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  INITIATION, 
BY  AN  EYE-WITNESS.  -  A  TERRIBLE  SCENE.  -  THE  BUF- 
FALO BULL  DANCE.  -  THE  MEDICINE-MAN.  -  u  IT  DOES 
A  FELLOW  GOOD  TEW  HOLLER  WHEN  HE  FEELS  LIKE 
IT.' 

nnHROWING  myself  upon  the  beautiful  green- 
J-  sward,  I  fell  asleep,  and  was  awakened  an  hour 
later  by  Sile's  cheery  voice  saying,  "  Halloo  !  just 
the  spot  I'd  have  picked  for  a  camp,  if  there's  any 
water  hereabouts." 

"  There's  a  splendid  spring  only  a  little  way  in 
the  woods,"  said  Ned.  "  Hal  and  I  have  been  down 
to  it." 

"  All  right,  then,  my  boy  !  here  we  stop  till  morn- 
in',"  replied  Sile,  dismounting.  His  feet  had  hardly 
touched  the  ground,  ere  he  brought  his  rifle  to  his 
face,  and  the  next  instant  the  report  echoed  through 
the  woods. 

The  boys  and  myself  sprang  to  our  feet,  while 
Sile  made  his  way  into  the  forest  as  fast  as  he  could 


145 


146  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

We  had  neither  of  us  seen  any  thing ;  neverthe- 
less each  asked  the  other  the  question,  "  What  was 
it?" 

A  moment  later,  we  heard  Sile  shout ;  and  then 
the  boys  bounded  away  in  the  direction  of  the  sound, 
while  I  followed  more  leisurely,  and  soon  found 
them  all  standing  over  the  prostrate  form  of  a  fine 
fat  doe. 

"  Well,  Sile,  don't  ever  complain  of  poor  eyesight 
again,"  said  I,  after  I  had  taken  a  look  at  the  car- 
cass. 

I  ketched  sight  of  her  just  as  I  was  a-getting  off 
er  my  hoss ;  but  I  didn't  have  no  time  to  explain, 
for  she  was  on  the  go  then,"  remarked  Sile. 

"  No  explanations  necessary,  Sile,"  replied  I. 
"  Suppose  you  let  the  boys  help  dress  it :  they  may 
as  well  begin  to  learn  now,  as  any  time." 

"  Help  ?  "  repeated  Hal,  with  rather  a  contemptu- 
ous intonation  of  voice :  "  as  if  I  didn't  know  enough 
to  skin  a  deer  !  " 

"  All  right,  sonny :  there's  the  train  comin',  and 
while  I'm  gone  ter  look  arter  that,  you  dress  it," 
said  Sile,  hurrying  away  towards  the  animals. 

"  Well,  Ned,  if  Hal's  going  to  dress  the  deer,  we 
may  as  well  go  and  take  care  of  the  horses.  Be  as 
quick  as  you  can,  Hal,  for  we  want  some  steaks  for 
supper ;  "  and  Ned  and  n^self  started  for  camp,  leav- 
ing Hal  standing  alone  by  the  carcass  in  rather  a 
surprised  and  bewildered  attitude.  Before  we  had 
taken  five  steps,  he  shouted  after  us,  — 


SILE   SHOOTS   A  DEER.  147 

"  You  don't  expect  me  to  dress  this  deer  alone,  do 
you  ?  Can't  Ned  stop  and  help  me  ?  " 

"  Certainly  he  can,"  replied  I. 

"  I  don't  know  a  thing  about  it,"  said  Ned,  "  but 
I'll  stop  if  I  can  help  him  any ; "  and  Ned  turned 
back,  while  I  continued  on. 

After  the  mules  had  been  unpacked,  the  horses  all 
picketed,  a  fire  built,  and  supper  under  way,  I  thought- 
I  would  walk  back  and  see  how  the  boys  progressed 
in  their  task. 

Some  time  before  I  reached  them,  I  heard  the  sound 
of  their  voices,  evidently  in  an  argument  relative  to 
the  proper  manner  of  commencing  the  flaying  pro- 
cess ;  after  listening  a  moment,  I  made  my  appear- 
ance upon  the  scene  saying,  — 

"  Well,  boys,  have  you  got  it  all  nicely  dressed  ?  " 

"  Dressed  !  "  responded  Ned :  "  why,  we  haven't 
touched  it  yet." 

"  Haven't  touched  it?  "  said  I  in  tones  of  astonish- 
ment ;  "  why,  we  are  all  ready  to  cook  the  steaks : 
what's  the  trouble  ?  " 

"  Hal  isn't  exactly  sure  how  he  ought  to  commence, 
and  I  don't  know  enough  to  tell  him,"  was  Ned's 
answer. 

"  My  knife's  so  dull,  I  can't  do  a  thing  with  it," 
said  Hal,  by  way  of  explanation. 

"  I  guess  that's  what  the  matter  with  mine," 
responded  Ned,  laughing. 

At  this  instant  we  heard  Sile  shout,  "  Fetch  on 
your  steaks :  we  are  all  ready  for  'em." 


148  CKOSSIKG   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Come,  come,  Hal,  this  won't  do  :  we  shall  all 
starve  to  death  if  you  don't  work  faster  than  you 
have  been  doing,"  said  I.  "  You've  had  time  enough 
to  dress  half  a  dozen  deer,  while  you  have  been 
standing  there  arguing  with  Ned.  Why  don't  you 
commence  ?  " 

"  I  can't  dress  it,"  frankly  owned  the  boy,  looking 
exceedingly  foolish  and  very  much  mortified  at  thus 
being  obliged  to  confess  the  truth. 

"  Then  go  at  once,  and  ask  Sile  to  be  kind  enough 
to  come  and  dress  the  deer:  tell  him  you  don't  know 
how  to  do  it,"  said  I. 

"  Must  I  go  ?  "  inquiringly  asked  the  boy :  "  I'd 
rather  not." 

"  Yes,  Hal,  of  course  you  must  go ;  and  don't 
ever  again  profess  to  be  able  to  do  that  which  you 
know  you  can't  perform,  for  it  will  always  be  a  source 
of  mortification  to  you  in  the  end.  Now  go  at  once." 

Hal  started,  considerably  crestfallen,  returning  in 
a  few  moments,  however,  with  Sile,  who  pleasantly 
went  to  work ;  and  in  a  very  short  time  the  carcass 
was  nicely  dressed,  the  hind-quarters  were  in  camp, 
and  we  in  a  fair  way  to  make  a  hearty  supper  of 
venison-steak,  which  proved  to  be  exceedingly  nice. 

The  meal  over,  Sile  brought  forward  his  bear-skin, 
which  he  had  packed  upon  one  of  the  mules,  as  also 
the  poles  that  composed  the  drying-frame,  which  he 
put  together,  intending  to  finish  drying  the  skin  by 
the  fire  that  night. 

Lighting  his  pipe,  he  began  setting  up  the  frame, 


HOW   INDIAN   BRAVES   BECOME   WARRIORS.    149 

when  Ned  inquired  if  he  wasn't  going  to  tell  us 
something  more  about  trapping  that  night. 

Before  he  had  time  to  answer  the  question,  Hal 
protested,  saying,  — 

"  Oh,  no,  Sile  !  please  tell  us  about  Indians." 

Sile  regarded  each  with  a  puzzled  look,  saying,  — 

"  There  ye  be  again.  One  wants  trappin',  and 
t'other  wants  Injuns.  I  guess  I'll  have  to  tell  'bout 
both,  tew  suit.  So  I'll  tell  ye  how  the  Injuns  make 
warriors  out  of  the  braves,  and  then  how  they  hunt 
buffaloes  :  how'll  that  suit?  " 

"  First-rate,  Sile,"  exclaimed  I.  **  I've  always 
wanted  to  hear  some  one  who  has  been  an  eye-wit- 
ness of  the  initiation  of  a  brave  into  the  list  of  war- 
riors, describe  the  ceremony  ;  for,  in  all  my  journey- 
ings  in  Indian  countries,  I've  never  happened  to 
witness  it." 

"  There's  mighty  few  white  men  that  have,  squire," 
was  Sile's  reply ;  "  and  'tain't  no  easy  thing  tew  do  ; 
-but  I'll  try  it,  'cause  I  want  these  boys  tew  know 
what  all  youngsters  hev  tew  go  threw  afore  they  kin 
be  counted  warriors." 

"  Do  all  tribes  have  the  same  ceremonies  ?  "  in- 
quired I. 

"  That's  what  I  can't  answer,"  replied  Sile :  "  they 
all  have  some  ceremony ;  I  never  seen  it  done  but 
once." 

"  I  didn't  know  that  there  had  to  be  a  regular 
initiation  before  a  brave  could  become  a  warrior," 
said  Hal. 


150  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Then  there's  one  pint  that  ye  didn't  lain  when 
you  was  amongst  the  Apaches,  eh  ?  "  said  Sile  with 
a  sly  wink,  continuing  as  follows  :  — 

"  The  second  year  I  was  out  trappin',  me  and  my 
pard  Ike,  got  ahead  of  the  rest  of  the  party  in  the 
fall  somehow,  and  had  to  wait  nearly  a  month  for 
'em ;  so  we  took  up  in  a  encampment  of  Cheyennes, 
that  was  out  on  their  annual  buffalo-hunt :  they  were 
mighty  friendly,  and  glad  tew  have  us  with  'em, 
'cause  we  hed  our  rifles  and  fixins  ;  and,  as  they  didn't 
have  any  weapons  then  but  bows  and  spears,  they 
thought  our  guns  was  4  big  medicine,'  and  would 
bring  'em  lilck. 

"  You  see,  Ike  had  been  trappin'  seven  year,  and 
he'd  got  so  he  could  talk  the  Injun  lingo  pretty  fair  ; 
and  he  come  in  one  day,  and  said  they  was  a-goin' 
tew  have  their  great  buffalo-bull  dance,  which  would 
last  several  days,  for  the  purpose  of  inducin'  the 
Great  Spirit  tew  send  'em  a  big  drove  of  buffalo,  and 
good  luck  in  the  hunt ;  and  we  should  hev  a  chance 
tew  see  it. 

"  The  next  day  we  seed  that  matters  was  a-goin' 
on  lively  in  the  camp ;  for  the  squaws  were  all  tew 
work  cleanin'  off  the  ground  in  front  of  the  chiefs 
lodge,  where  the  ceremonies  was  tew  take  place ; 
the  bucks  were  a-flyin'  'round,  gittin'  their  selves 
fixed  up  for  the  dance,  which  was  ter  last  four  days, 
the  performers  havin'  tew  fast  the  hull  time. 

"  The  next  mornin',  the  '  medicine-man '  come 
intew  camp.  He  was  a  dried-up  old  feller,  about 


A  TERRIBLE   SCENE.  151 

sixty  year  old,  and  as  naked  as  he  was  born,  'cep- 
tin'  a  white  wolf-skin  slung  over  one  shoulder,  some 
bands  of  the  same  kind  about  his  ankles,  and  a  pair 
of  moccasins  from  which  the  tails  of  two  wolves 
dragged  behind ;  he  had  on  a  cap  er  white  buffalo- 
skin,  stuck  full  er  eagle's  feathers." 

"  I  never  heard  of  a  white  buffalo.  Is  there  any 
such  animal  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  Sartin  there  is,  or  how  could  he  hev  got  the 
skin  ?  They're  mighty  scarce,  and  the  skin  is  always 
used  for  4  medicine  '  by  the  Injuns.  There's  about 
the  same  proportion  er  white  buffaloes  that  there  is 
er  black  sheep.  But  I  can't  have  you  boys  inter- 
ruptin'  me  ter-night  by  askin'  questions  :  yeou  must 
wait  till  I  git  threw. 

"  Wai,  the  old  feller's  body,  legs  and  all,  was 
painted  over  with  red  clay,  and  he  was  about  as 
hedeous-lookin'  a  old  cuss  as  any  livin'  man  ever  seed. 

"  But  I  can't  tell  yer  all  that  was  done  durin'  the 
four  days  that  the  dance  lasted,  'cause  it  would  take 
all  night,  and  the  'nitiation  didn't  come  off  till  the 
fourth  day :  so  I'll  just  tell  yer  'bout  that. 

"  Early  in  the  mornin'  two  of  the  oldest  warriors 
fetched  out  er  the  medicine-lodge  a  couple  er  young 
braves,  'bout  eighteen  year  old  I  should  say,  and 
leadin'  'em  up  to  two  stout  poles  sot  in  the  ground, 
and  'bout  twelve  foot  high,  unfastened  some  cords 
of  raw-hide  that  hung  from  the  top  of  'em. 

"  One  er  the  braves  knelt  down  at  the  foot  er  the 
pole,  restin'  his  thighs  on  his  heels,  and  throwed  his 
head  back  and  his  breast  forreard. 


152  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  The  warriors  then  took  an  old  butcher-knife, 
cut  through  the  skin  and  flesh  on  each  side  er  the 
breast,  and  stuck  some  splints  of  wood  under  the 
sinews,  and  fastened  the  cords  to  'em.  Then  they 
served  the  other  brave  in  the  same  way,  and  left  'em 
alone. 

"  As  soon  as  the  two  warriors  was  gone,  the  braves 
rose  tew  their  feet,  with  the  blood  streamin'  from 
their  breasts,  and  throwed  their  hull  weight  onto  the 
cords,  jumpin'  back  tew  the  end  of  the  ropes,  and 
swingin'  about,  tryin'  tew  break  loose  from  the  poles. 
All  the  while,  neither  one  on  'em  groaned  or  made 
the  least  noise:  'cause,  yer  see,  the  hull  thing  was 
done  tew  test  'em,  tew  see  if  they  had  pluck  or  grit 
enuff  tew  make  warriors ;  anyhow  they  had  to  stan' 
it  till  they  could  break  loose,  'cause  the  splints 
mus'n't  be  pulled  out,  nohow.  One  on  'em  finally 
managed  tew  tear  the  sinews  loose,  and  was  carried 
away  to  his  lodge  by  his  friends.  The  other  one, 
after  hangin'  two  or  three  hours,  finally  succeeded  in 
pullin'  himself  loose,  and  then,  the  hull  tribe  had  a 
grand  feast  in  honor  of  their  pluck  and  endurance." 1 

"  Can  they  always  contrive  to  break  the  sinew, 
Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  They  hev  tew :  they  can't  get  loose  any  other 
way  if  they  want  tew  become  warriors.  Sometimes, 

1  The  above  terrible  rite  has  for  many  years  been  practised 
among  the  Mandans,  the  Assiniboines,  the  Cheyennes,  and  other 
Western  tribes,  and  is  the  only  acknowledged  ordeal  for  testing  the 
endurance  of  the  applicant  for  admission  into  the  brotherhood  of 
warriors. 


153 

when  it's  very  tuff  and  strong,  they'll  hitch  on 
eight  or  ten  buffaloes'  heads  tew  ther  rope,  and  make 
the  brave  drag  'em  about  till  the  sinews  gives  way." 

"  It  must  cause  terrible  suffering,"  remarked  I. 

"  Yes ;  and  the  worst  of  it  is,  if  the  brave  flinches, 
or  groans,  or  complains  the  least  particle,  he  is  set 
loose  at  once  ;  but  he  can't  never  be  nothin'  but  a 
squaw-man  after  that." 

"  What's  a  squaw-man  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  One  that  ain't  allowed  ter  fight,  or  hunt,  or  git 
married,  or  own  bosses  ;  but  has  tew  stay  about  the 
camp  with  the  squaws  all  the  time." 

"  Well,  I'd  rather  be  a  squaw-man,  you  bet !  " 
cried  Hal.  "  They  wouldn't  catch  me  submitting  to 
any  such  nonsense  as  that,  for  the  sake  of  being  a 
dirty  warrior.  I've  seen  enough  of  that  sort  of  stock 
when  I  was  with  the  "  — 

"  There,  there,  Hal !  "  interrupted  I.  "  Don't  say 
any  thing  more  about  that." 

Even  Hal  joined  in  the  laugh  at  his  own  expense, 
and  Sile  continued,  — 

"  Now,  boys,  I've  told  yer  what  a  Injun  boy  has 
to  go  threw  with  afore  he  kin  expect  tew  be  any 
kind  of  a  man  :  yeou  ought  tew  be  glad  yeou  ain't 
Injuns,  and  kin  be  considered  men  without  havin' 
tew  undergo  sich  tortures  as  them  poor  braves  did. 
I  never  pitied  anybody  so  much  in  all  my  life,  'cause 
they  couldn't  even  holler :  I  think  it  sometimes 
does  a  feller  lots  of  good  just  tew  hev  the  priv'lege 
of  hollerin'  when  he  feels  like  it.  There,"  said  he, 


154  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

starting  to  his  feet,  "  I  come  nigh  forgettin'  tew  turn 
old  Ephraim.  I  guess  hell  be  dry  enuff  tew  brain 
in  the  mornin'.  Yeou  git  up  airly  and  help  me,  bo}rs, 
won't  ye  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  you  said  you'd  tell  us  about  an  Indian 
buffalo-hunt,  you  know,"  said  Ned. 

44  Good  .gracious,  sonny !  you  don't  want  to  hear 
nothin'  more  ter-night,  do  yer  ?  I  guess  I've  talked 
enuff  for  once :  you  must  wait  till  'nother  time  for 
the  rest." 

"  But,  Sile,  we  don't  want  to  go  to  bed.  We  ain't 
a  bit  sleepy  ;  are  we,  Hal  ?  "  persisted  Ned. 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  Hal :  "  I'm  as  wide  awake  as  an 
Apache  scout." 

41 1  don't  s'pose  you'd  be  sleepy  if  yeou  sot  there 
all  night.  I  sha'n't  talk  any  more  ter-night,  nohow. 
My  throat  is  as  dry  as  a  hot  skillet  now,"  said  Sile. 

44  Come,  boys,  don't  ask  Sile  for  any  thing  more  to- 
night :  he's  tired,  if  you  aren't,"  said  I.  4t  Go  to  bed 
now,  and  turn  out  early  in  the  morning,  and  help  him 
finish  his  skin :  that  will  be  a  good  way  to  pay  for 
your  evening's  entertainment.  We  ought  all  to  be 
willing  to  do  what  we  can  for  each  other's  pleasure, 
even  though  it  entails  some  little  sacrifice  for  our- 
selves." 

44  Well,  when  will  you  tell  us  the  rest  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

44  Ter-morrer  night,  perhaps,"  was  Sile's  answer ; 
and  with  it  the  boys  departed,  quite  as  well  satisfied 
as  if  Sile  had  talked  for  another  hour. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

BRAINED  AND  PACKED. SILE'S  STEW. AN  UNEXPECTED 

SIGHT. THE  WHITE  HORSE  AND  ITS  RIDER.  WE  SHOOT 

A  LION.  A  SEARCH  AND  DISCOVERY.  "  WHAR'S  ME 

HOORSE?" DENNIS   BURKE   AND  HIS    SHILLALAH.  A 

"PUMEL"  AND   WHAT   CAME   OF   IT. — A   SEARCH   FOR 
THE  HORSE,  AND  THEN  A  SEARCH  FOR  DENNIS.  CAMP. 

SILE  was  up  and  at  work  the  next  morning  be- 
fore it  was  fairly  light ;  and  when  the  boys  arose, 
just  after  sunrise,  the  skin  had  been  "  brained  "  and 
packed,  ready  for  transportation ;  and  Sile  himself 
was  preparing  a  cup  of  coffee. 

"  Halloo  !  ain't  you  going  to  do  the  skin  this  morn- 
ing ?  "  sleepily  inquired  Hal,  who  was  the  first  to 
put  in  an  appearance  at  the  camp-fire. 

"What  skin  be  you  talkin'  about?"  asked  Sile, 
with  a  most  innocent  expression  upon  his  face. 

"  Why,  the  grizzly's,  to  be  sure,"  said  Hal. 

44  Oh  !  that  was  finished  more'n  an  hour  ago,"  re- 
plied Sile. 

44 1  don't  care,  Sile  Carter,  I  think  you're  just  as 
mean  as  you  can  be ;  don't  you  ?  "  said  Hal,  address- 
ing Ned,  who  by  this  time  had  made  his  appearance. 

155 


156  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  Here  he  asked  us  to  get  up  and  help  him ;  and,  in- 
stead of  waiting  for  us,  he's  been  and  done  it  himself. 
I  mean  to  go  back  to  bed  again." 

"  Then  you  won't  git  none  er  this  stew  er  mine," 
said  Sile,  well  knowing  that  if  there  was  one  thing 
the  boy  liked  above  another,  for  breakfast,  it  was  a 
venison-stew  ;  for  Sile's  stews  were  delectable.  They 
were  the  result  of  constant  practice  combined  with 
long  experience,  concocted  with  a  consummate  art 
that  I  have  never  seen  equalled  in  the  most  cele- 
brated French  cuisine. 

The  bare  announcement  of  what  was  in  store  for 
them  was  sufficient  to  drive  all  thoughts  of  return- 
ing to  bed  from  the  boys'  heads ;  and  they  both  com- 
menced making  amends  for  harboring  such  a  thought 
by  vigorously  attacking  the  stew,  which  attack  they 
followed  up  so  energetically  and  persistently  that  in 
a  very  short  space  of  time  it  was  completely  annihi- 
lated. 

It  was  quite  nine  o'clock  before  we  were  ready  to 
start ;  and,  fairly  getting  upon  the  road,  the  boys  and 
myself  were  soon  some  distance  in  advance  of  the 
train. 

Our  trail  led  through  quite  an  extensive  forest, 
containing  many  gigantic  oaks,  whose  spreading 
branches  and*  thick  foliage  formed  a  magnificent 
arbor  above  our  heads,  completely  excluding  the  sun- 
shine, and  rendering  our  ride  an  exceedingly  pleasant 
and  comfortable  one. 

As  we  were  carelessly  ambling  along,  enjoying  the 
refreshing  shade,  suddenly  all  heard  a  shout. 


AN  UNEXPECTED   SIGHT.  157 

"  Hark,  boys !  Sile's  calling,"  said  I. 

We  reined  in  our  horses,  and  listened  :  the  silence 
for  the  moment  was  profound ;  then  came  a  cry  as 
of  some  one,  or  something,  in  mortal  agony,  and  the 
next  instant  we  saw  a  white  horse,  saddled  and 
bridled,  with  a  full-grown,  tawny,  Calif ornian  lion  or 
puma,  upon  its  back,  coming  directly  towards  us. 

We  were  so  astounded  by  this  unexpected  appari- 
tion, that  for  a  moment  we  sat  in  stupid  wonderment 
gazing  on  the  sight.  The  next  instant  I  recollected 
myself,  and,  taking  deliberate  aim  at  the  puma's 
head,  fired,  just  as  the  boys  also  discharged  their 
weapons. 

The  creature  seemed  to  cling  to  the  affrighted  ani- 
mal a  moment  tighter  than  ever,  and  then  dropped 
suddenly  to  the  ground,  where  it  lay  writhing  in  the 
agonies  of  death,  while  the  terrified  horse,  the  blood 
running  in  streams  down  its  flanks,  dashed  past  us, 
and  disappeared  in  the  depths  of  the  forest. 

Up  to  this  time  neither  of  us  had  spoken  a  word; 
but  with  one  accord  we  spurred  our  horses  towards 
the  place  where  the  carcass  of  the  now  lifeless  puma 
lay  stretched  upon  the  ground. 

Hal  was  the  first  to  reach  it;  dismounting,  he 
cautiously  put  his  hand  upon  the  creature's  side,  say- 
ing*— 

"  He's  settled  now  for  good ;  but  ain't  he  a 
beauty?  I  wish  Sile  was  here." 

"  So  do  I,"  was  my  reply.  "  Suppose  you  remain 
here,  Hal,  while  Ned  and  I  ride  on  and  see  if  we  can 
discover  the  owner  of  that  horse." 


158  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  I'd  rather  go  with  you.  I  wish  you'd  let  me," 
said  the  boy. 

"Very  well,  you  can  go;  and  Ned  will  stop  here 
until  Sile  comes.  Tell  him  how  it  is,  Ned,  if  he  gets 
here  before  we  return.  We  sha'n't  be  gone  very 
long." 

We  had  ridden  scarcely  a  quarter  of  a  mile  when 
Hal's  keen  eyes  detected  some  object  stretched  upon 
the  ground  close  by  the  trail,  a  little  distance  ahead. 

"  I  see  him,  I  see  him  ! "  shouted  he,  pointing  to 
the  body.  Upon  reaching  it,  I  dismounted,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  make  an  examination  of  the  apparently 
lifeless  form,  which  proved  to  be  that  of  a  laboring- 
man  about  twenty-five  years  of  age. 

There  was  but  a  little  blood  visible,  and  that  had 
come  from  a  slight  wound  on  the  shoulder,  evidently 
made  with  the  creature's  claws. 

After  looking  at  the  man,  Hal  said,  rather  has- 
tily, - 

"  He's  dead,  I  reckon  :  we  can't  do  any  thing  for 
him." 

"  I  don't  think  so,"  said  I,  placing  my  ear  to  his 
breast :  "  his  heart  beats  any  way.  Get  down  and 
help  me  to  raise  him  until  I  see." 

44 1  don't  like  to  touch  him,"  replied  Hal,  dis- 
mounting. 

"  Nonsense !  take  hold  here,  and  let's  see  how 
badly  he's  hurt,"  said  I. 

At  this  instant  the  supposed  dying  man,  slightly 
astonished  us  by  opening  his  eyes,  sitting  upright, 


DENNIS   BURKE  AND  HIS   SHILLALAH.          159 

and  gazing  about  him  in  evident  bewilderment  for  a 
moment,  and  then  saying,  with  an  unmistakably 
strong  Hibernian  accent,  — 

"  Where's  that  ould  divil  gone  wid  my  hoorse  ?  " 

This  singular  question,  together  with  the  comical 
appearance  of  the  man,  struck  Hal  and  myself  so 
forcibly  that  we  both  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter, 
which  appeared  to  somewhat  excite  the  ire  of  the 
wounded  man  ;  for-  assuming  an  injured  tone  of  voice, 
with  a  most  lugubrious  expression  upon  his  broad 
Irish  face,  he  said,  — 

"  Yez  moight  az  will  larf  at  a  coorpse  ;  but  it  ain't 
viry  amusin'  for  the  coorpse  though." 

I  endeavored  to  assure  the  man  that  we  were  not 
laughing  at  him,  asking  if  he  was  badly  hurt. 

"  Is  it  hurted  I  am  you're  axin'  me  ?  and  I  bladin' 
loike  a  shtuck  pig,  wid  the  whack  that  ould  divil 
give  me  wid  his  shillalah.  Sure  'twas  enuff  to  break 
ivery  bone  in  me  body,  so  it  was." 

Having  by  this  time  become  assured  that  the  fel- 
low was  actually  more  scared  than  hurt,  I  said, 
"How  did  it  happen?" 

"  How  did  it  happen  ? "  said  he,  repeating  the 
question  after  me.  "  It  didn't  happen  at  all,  at  all, 
[strongly  emphasizing  the  word  "  happen  "]  :  it  was 
just  done  a  purpose,  so  it  was.  Some  murtherin'  ould 
divil  (I  didn't  see  his  face  at  all)  cum  oop  behind  me 
whin  I  was  ridin'  along  paceably  enuff,  and  knocked 
me  aff  me  hoorse  wid  his  shillalah,  struckin'  me  in  the 
back  sinsible,  so  he  did,  and  I  layin'  on  the  ground 
intirely  spacheless  all  the  toime." 


160  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  He  evidently  thinks  somebody  struck  him  on  the 
back,"  said  Hal  to  me  in  a  very  low  tone. 

"  Thinks  somebody  shtruck  him,  does  he  ?  "  replied 
the  man,  very  cleverly  imitating  Hal's  tone  and 
manner.  "  Bedad,  thin,  he  knows  somebody  shtruck 
him  :  Dinnis  Burke  knows  the  touch  of  a  shillalah 
as  well  as  any  livin'  man  in  ould  Ireland." 

"  No  person  struck  you,"  said  I,  by  way  of  expla- 
nation. "  It  was  a  wild  beast,  a  puma,  that  knocked 
you  out  of  your  saddle." 

"  A  pumel,  was  it  ?  Will,  if  iver  I  git  hould  of 
him  wid  a  bit  of  shillalah  in  me  hand,  111  pumel 
him,  till  there  isn't  a  bone  lift,  as  big  as  a  gossoon's 
finger,  in  his  whole  body,  so  I  will." 

"  But  you  don't  understand.  Let  me  explain  to 
you,  Dennis :  where  were  you  when  you  were 
knocked  off  your  horse  ?  " 

"  Where  was  I  ?  On  his  back,  to  be  sure  :  where 
else  would  I  bae?" 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  very  much  amused  at  the  answer, 
"  I  understand  that ;  but  you  were  riding  beneath  a 
large  tree,  were  you  not  ?  " 

"  Suppose  I  was,  sure :  hadn't  I  a  right  to  ride 
beneath  a  trae  ?  " 

"  Certainly  you  had ;  but  the  animal  was  con- 
cealed among  the  branches,  and,  as  you  passed  under 
them,  sprang  upon  you,  and  knocked  you  off  your 
horse." 

"  He  did,  sure,"  replied  Dennis,  "  and  then  wint 
off  wid  me  hoorse,  and  that's  wat  I  want  now." 


A  "PUMEL"  AND  WHAT  CAME  OF  IT.      161 

"  Well,  after  we  shot  him,  your  horse  went  off 
down  the  trail :  if  you'll  come  with  us,  we'll  show 
you  the  animal." 

"  Come  wid  yez  ?  av  coorse  I  will.  I'd  go  a  hun- 
thred  miles  to  sae  the  pumel  that  knocked  Dennis 
Burke  aff  that  hoorse." 

During  this  conversation  Hal  had  been  so  much 
amused  at  the  odd  appearance  as  well  as  the  quaint 
expressions  of  Dennis,  that  it  was  with  the  greatest 
difficulty  he  could  restrain  himself  from  bursting  in- 
to a  laugh.  Noticing  this,  I  suggested  that  he  might 
as  well  join  Ned ;  and,  glad  of  an  opportunity  to  es- 
cape, he  mounted  his  horse,  and,  almost  bursting 
with  laughter,  galloped  back. 

"  What's  that  b'y  laffin'  at  ?  "  queried  Dennis  sus- 
piciously. 

"  I  can't  tell  you,"  said  I.  "  Where  did  you  come 
from  ?  " 

"  Where  did  I  come  from  ?  From  the  ould  coun- 
thry,  av  coorse." 

"  Yes ;  but  you  live  on  some  ranch,  don't  you  ? 
To  whom  does  it  belong  ?  " 

44  Muster  Maverick,  sure  ;  and  I'd  betther  be  foind- 
in'  that  hoorse,  so  I  had,  or  I'll  niver  dare  to  go  back, 
beclad.  What  was  that  b'y  laffin'  at  ?  " 

44  Why  won't  you  dare  to  go  back  ?  "  inquired  I, 
ignoring  the  last  question. 

44  Ould  Maverick'll  take  the  rist  of  the  hide  aff 
me  back,  for  1'avin'  his  baste,  so  he  will." 

44  But  you  couldn't  help  it :  you  were  knocked  off." 


162  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  So  I  was,  sure  ;  but  ould  Maverick  niver'll  belave 
it.  He'll  turn  me  aff,  sure." 

At  this  time  we  came  in  sight  of  the  boys,  who 
were  standing  by  the  carcass  of  the  puma,  laughing 
immoderately ;  and  when  Dennis  saw  them,  he  sud- 
denly turned  towards  me,  saying,  — 

44  If  thim  b'yse  is  laffin'  at  me,  I'll  bate  'em  till 
widin  an  inch  of  their  lives." 

"  Oh,  no,  you  won't,  Dennis  !  "  said  I,  as  we  came 
upon  the  carcass  of  the  great  tawny  creature,  stretched 
at  full  length  upon  the  ground.  Gazing  at  it  in  evi- 
dent consternation,  he  exclaimed,  — 

"  Howly  Mother  !  what's  that,  now  ?  " 

"  That's  the  puma  that  knocked  you  off  your 
horse,  Dennis,"  replied  Hal. 

"  Is  that  the  pumel,  now  ?  "  inquired  he. 

"  That's  the  identical  chap,"  said  Hal,  laughing. 

"  Where's  the  hoorse,  thin  ?  "  querried  he. 

"  We  shot  the  puma,  but  we  couldn't  stop  the 
horse,"  explained  Hal. 

"I  could  av  done  that  mesilf,"  replied  Dennis, 
putting  his  hand  to  his  belt ;  then  with  a  bewildered 
look  exclaiming,  — 

"Where  the  divil's  ould  Maverick's  pistil  gone 
to?" 

"  Did  you  have  one  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"Did  I  have  one?  af  coorse  I  had  one,  and  it's 
gone  wid  the  hoorse,  by  me  sowle !  " 

"  Perhaps  Sile  will  catch  the  horse,"  remarked 
Ned,  by  the  way  of  consolation. 


A  SEAECH  FOR   THE   HORSE.  163 

"  And  perhaps  he  won't.  I'll  go  afther  him  mesilf. 
"Which  way  did  he  go,  sure  ?  " 

The  boys  pointed  out  the  course,  telling  him 
that  he'd  better  wait  till  Sile  came  up  ;  but,  paying 
no  heed  to  their  advice,  he  limped  off  in  the  given 
direction. 

"  I  presume  Sile  has  seen  the  horse,  and  caught  it, 
which  is  the  cause  of  his  delay,"  said  I,  laughing : 
"  the  fellow  is  an  original." 

"  I  thought  Hal  had  gone  crazy  when  he  rode  up, 
he  was  laughing  so  hard :  he  kept  repeating  what 
the  man  said,  and  laughing  so  much  that  I  couldn't 
understand  a  word  he  said,"  said  Ned.  "  I  hope 
he'll  come  back." 

"  Howly  Mother  !  is  that  the  pumel,  now  ?  "  ex- 
claimed Hal,  imitating  the  tone  and  manner  of  Den- 
nis so  perfectly,  that  Ned  and  myself  fairly  shouted 
at  the  representation. 

"  Come,  boys,  I  want  to  measure  this  puma,"  said  I. 

"  Oh  let  me  measure  him  !  "  cried  Hal,  producing 
his  rule :  "  six  feet  seven  inches  from  the  tip  of  his 
nose  to  the  end  of  his  tail,"  said  the  boy,  stroking 
the  sleek  tawny  fur,  "  and  not  a  spot  on  him.  I 
thought  pumas  were  always  spotted." 

"  They  are  so  when  young ;  but  I  believe  their 
spots  disappear  after  they  attain  a  certain  age." 

"  See  what  immensely  strong  paws  he's  got,"  said 
Ned.  "I  don't  wonder  Dennis  thought  somebody 
struck  him  with  a  shillalah  ;  "  and  the  boys  laughed 
again. 


164  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  His  claws  ain't  so  very  sharp,"  remarked  Hal : 
"  still,  I  wouldn't  want  'em  in  my  back.  Do  they 
always  jump  on  to  a  fellow  from  a  tree  ?  " 

"  Generally,  I  believe,"  replied  I :  "  I  have  heard 
old  hunters  say  that  one  can  jump  with  ease,  thirty 
or  forty  feet.  Sile  can  tell  you  more  about  that 
though,  than  I  can." 

"  Halloo  !  here  he  comes,"  shouted  Hal.  "  I  hear 
him ; "  and  a  moment  later  Sile  came  in  sight  with 
the  train.  "  Yes,  he's  got  the  white  horse,  but  I 
don't  see  Dennis,"  continued  the  boy. 

Upon  seeing  us,  Sile  rode  rapidly  forward  ;  but 
stopped  at  the  sight  of  the  puma,  evidently  greatly 
surprised,  saying,  — 

"  Who  shot  that  critter  ?  " 

"  We  did,  Mr.  Sile,"  replied  Hal,  strongly  empha- 
sizing the  "  we." 

"  Was  the  horse  badly  hurt,  Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  The  critter  has  tared  him  some,  but  he'll  git 
over  it.  He  was  awful  scart  though,  and  it  took  me 
consid'ble  time  to  ketch  him ;  it's  hard  work  lassoin' 
a  crazy  hoss  in  the  woods  :  but  whar's  the  man  that 
owns  him  ?  " 

"  Haven't  you  seen  him  ?  "  asked  I. 

"  I  hain't  seen  a  livin'  soul  but  them  Mexicans, 
sence  yeou  left  me,  till  now,"  was  Sile's  answer. 

"  What  can  have  become  of  him  ?  He  must  have 
wandered  off  into  the  woods,"  said  I,  proceeding  to 
state,  as  briefly  as  possible,  the  facts  above  nar- 
rated. 


A   SEARCH   FOB   DENNIS.  165 

Sile's  only  reply  was,  "  We  mustn't  let  the  feller 
git  lost.  We  ought  ter  hunt  him  up." 

"  Yes,  we  certainly  must  do  that,"  said  I. 

"  Wai,  I  guess  we'd  better  find  a  campin'-place, 
and  make  a  day  of  it,  then,"  suggested  Sile  :  "  'cause 
by  the  time  we  git  this  puma  skinned,  and  the  Irish- 
man hunted  up,  it'll  be  putty  nigh  night,  if  he's  like 
any  Irishman  I  ever  seed." 

"  Correct,"  shouted  Hal.  "  You'll  die  laughing, 
Sile,  if  ever  you  do  find  him,  he's  so  funny." 

"  Wai,  we'll  find  him,  sonny :  yeou  kin  depend 
upon  that.  Now  let's  throw  this  puma  over  that 
hind  mule,  and  go  on  till  we  find  a  good  campin' 
ground ;  then  we'll  come  back  and  have  a  hunt." 

After  riding  a  very  short  distance  beyond  the  spot 
where  Dennis  met  with  his  accident,  we  came  to  the 
banks  of  a  beautiful  stream,  upon  which  we  made 
our  camp.  The  men  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in 
persuading  the  white  horse  to  pass  the  spot  where 
he  had  been  attacked  ;  but,  while  doing  so,  picked 
up  the  revolver  dropped  by  Dennis,  which  was  given 
into  Hal's  charge. 

The  mules  unpacked,  and  camp  settled,  directions 
were  given  as  to  dressing  the  puma's  carcass ;  and 
then  Sile,  the  boys,  and  myself  rode  back  on  our 
search  for  Dennis. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

HUNTING   FOR  THE    LOST. HE    IS     FOUND. PREFERS    TO 

u  WALK  AFOOT." HIS  HISTORY. u  OULD    MAVERICK'S 

M. 

WE    MOVE     CAMP. u 

WITH  THE  "  GENII." HAL  AND  NED. THE  DISPUTE. 

u  YOU  HEAR  ME  NOW." 

DON'T   suppose   you've   any  idee  which    way 
-L  ther  feller  went,  or  how  much  he  knows  'bout 
ther  country,"  said  Sile,  addressing  me,  as  we  gal- 
loped along. 

44  Not  the  least,"  was  my  reply ;  "  but,  if  he's  as 
ignorant  of  that,  as  he  appeared  to  be  on  other 
subjects,  he  certainly  can't  know  very  much  about  it. 
He  was  evidently  badly  frightened  and  somewhat 
bewildered,  by  the  unceremonious  treatment  he  re- 
ceived from  the  puma,  which  may  in  a  measure  ac- 
count for  his  singular  manner." 

"  I  wish  you  could  have  seen  him,  Sile,  when  he 
was  telling  us  how  it  happened.  It  was  as  good  as 
a  play.  Now,  here's  where  we  shot  the  puma  ;  and 
when  Dennis  left  us,  he  started  in  that  direction," 
said  Hal,  pointing. 

166 


THE  LOST   FOUND.  167 

"  Well,  you  hold  my  hoss  a  minit,  and  I'll  see  if  I 
can  find  his  trail,"  said  Sile,  dismounting. 

In  a  short  time  he  shouted  that  he'd  found  it, 
and  then  we  made  our  way  towards  him,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  were  following  on  the  trail :  occasion- 
ally we  would  shout  aloud,  or  fire  our  revolvers,  and 
then  stop  and  listen  for  a  reply. 

After  doing  this  several  times,  Hal  said,  — 

"  I  don't  believe  the  fellow  knows  enough  to  an- 
swer ;  as  likely  as  any  way  he'll  think  it's  the  ould 
fellow  that  knocked  him  off  the  hoorse  wid  his  shilla- 
lah,"  imitating  Dennis  so  perfectly,  that,  in  spite  of 
our  best  endeavors,  we  could  not  restrain  our  laugh- 
ter. 

"  I  reckon  we  shall  find  him  before  a  great  while," 
said  I ;  and  sure  enough,  after  searching  nearly  an 
hour,  we  heard  him  call  out  loudly,  — 

"  Say,  yez,  have  yez  seen  the  hoorse  ?  " 

At  first  we  could  not  tell  from  what  direction  the 
voice  came  ;  but  Hal's  roving  eyes  shortly  discovered 
him  sitting  upon  a  log,  in  the  midst  of  a  clump  of 
firs. 

As  we  came  up  to  him,  Sile  answered  his  question 
by  informing  him  that  we  not  only  had  found  the 
horse,  but  his  pistol  as  well. 

The  look  of  despondency  and  weariness  upon  the 
man's  face  instantly  gave  way  to  one  of  joy  and 
pleasure  :  he  appeared  like  a  new  man,  as  gay  and 
merry  as  a  boy  of  sixteen,  jumping  to  his  feet 
and  snapping  his  fingers,  while  he  exclaimed,  — 


168  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Thin  ould  Maverick  may  go  to  the  divil  wid  his 
hoorse,  if  ever  I  git  the  crayther  back  to  him  safe 
and  sound.  Is  he  hurted  much  ?  "  asked  he. 

Sile  assured  him  that  the  horse  was  only  scratched 
a  little  by  the  puma's  claws,  and  would  soon  be  as 
good  as  ever. 

"  Will  he,  now  ?  "  exclaimed  he,  attempting  to 
execute  an  Irish  jig :  "  thin,  by  the  powers,  I  don't 
care  a  cint  for  ould  Maverick.  He  kin  take  it  out 
of  my  boord  and  clothes,  but  divil  a  rag'll  I  have  lift 
afther  it." 

"  Where  does  Mr.  Maverick  live  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  On  his  ranch,  to  be  sure,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Where  is  that,  Dennis  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  You'll  go  down  to  the  crassin'  beyant  there,  and 
foller  up  the  straem  till  yez  comes  to  it." 

"  How  far  is  it  from  the  trail  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  Risin'  of  two  mile,"  answered  the  man. 

"  Wai,"  said  Sile,  "  you  git  up  behind  me  here, 
and  ride  down  tew  camp,  and  then  we'll  go  over 
tew  the  ranch  with  yer." 

"  Will  yez,  now  ?  "  said  Dennis,  "  but  I'll  walk  by 
mesilf.  Where's  me  pistil  ?  " 

"  Hal's  got  it  down  ter  camp.  Why  on  airth 
don't  ye  git  up  and  ride  ?  "  said  Sile. 

"  And  be  knocked  off  wid  another  pumel  ?  No, 
surr:  az  long  az  Dinnis  Burke's  got  two  ligs  he'll 
walk  bedad,  that  he  will.  I'll  foind  the  way  back 
mesilf,"  and  Dennis  started  for  our  camp. 

As  he  walked  along  beside  us,  both  Sile  and  myself 


DENNIS  EXPLAINS.  169 

endeavored  to  ascertain  what  the  fellow  was  doing 
on  the  ranch,  and  where  he  was  going  at  the  time 
he  encountered  the  puma. 

At  first  he  was  disinclined  to  talk,  but  after  a  time 
became  more  communicative,  informing  us  that  he 
had  been  in  California  about  two  months  ;  that  imme- 
diately after  landing  in  San  Francisco,  he  had  been 
employed  by  Mr.  Maverick,  and  brought  down  to  the 
ranch  to  superintend  the  "  pigs,"  of  which  there  were 
several  hundred  upon  the  place ;  and  that,  when  he 
was  knocked  off  his  horse,  he  was  on  his  way  to  Senor 
Escarrito's  ranch,  with  a  letter  from  his  master,  —  in 
proof  of  which  statement,  he  produced  it  from  some 
secret  depository  in  the  waistband  of  his  pants,  where 
it  had  been  placed  for  safe  keeping. 

It  was  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when 
we  reached  our  camp  ;  and,  after  partaking  of  dinner, 
we  set  off  for  the  ranch,  where  we  arrived  after  a 
brisk  canter  of  half  an  hour. 

The  house  was  of  adobe,  and  consisted  of  a  long 
range  of  narrow  rooms,  one  story  in  height,  utterly 
devoid  of  either  paint  or  whitewash  ;  slightly  Ameri- 
canized, however,  by  the  addition  of  a  piazza  in  front, 
under  which  we  found  the  proprietor  enjoying  his 
pipe,  which  proved  to  be  his  constant  companion ; 
for,  during  the  time  we  remained  upon  the  ranch,  it 
was  scarcely  out  of  his  mouth. 

He  was  an  American  about  fifty  years  of  age,  tall 
and  angular,  with  a  stoop  in  the  shoulders,  but  with 
a  decidedly  pleasant  face,  that  fairly  beamed  with 


170  CBOSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

good-nature,  when  we  addressed  him  in  the  Saxon 
tongue. 

"  'Light,  'light !  "  said  he  as  we  rode  up.  "  I'm 
glad  ter  see  somebody  that  kin  talk  somethin'  besides 
Greaser  and  Injun.  I  hain't  heerd  a  man  speak  'Meri- 
can  for  nearly  a  year,  till  t'other  day,  when  I  was  up 
to  'Frisco,  and  hired  that  worthless  cuss  you've  got 
thar,  just  ter  have  a  man  'bout  that  couldn't  talk 
Mexican.  Whar'd  you  pick  him  up  ?  'Light,  'light : 
I'm  glad  ter  see  yer." 

We  briefly  informed  him  of  the  circumstances 
under  which  we  had  made  the  acquaintance  of 
Dennis,  to  which  he  replied,  — 

"  He's  allers  gittin'  inter  some  kind  of  a  scrape  ; 
there  hain't  bin  a  day  sence  he's  ben  here,  that  he 
hain't  done  some  cussed  thing  or  other  :  I've  had  more 
fun  though,  than  his  wages  '11  come  to ; "  then,  turn- 
ing towards  Dennis,  he  said,  "  What  yer  settin'  thar 
for?  Take  that  hoss  down  ter  the  coral,  and  tell 
Pedro  ter  look  out  fer  him ;  and  if  I  ever  ketch  yer 
a-huntin'  catermounts  again,  when  I  send  yer  on  an 
arrant,  I'll  take  every  inch  er  hide  off  that  miserable 
back  o'  yourn.  Yer  hear  me,  now." 

"  Faith,  I  do  that  same,"  said  Dennis:  "  will  I  take 
the  lether,  afut  ?  " 

"  No,  give  it  ter  me,  and  the  pistol  too :  it's  a 
wonder  yer  brought  that  back." 

"  Sure,  it  ain't  my  fault  that  I  did,"  replied  Dennis 
as  with  a  comical  leer  he  rode  away. 

Our  host  insisted  upon  sending  our  horses  to  the 


"OTJLD  MAVERICK'S  RANCH."  171 

coral,  and  that  we  should  remain  with  him  over 
night,  offering  to  send  down  a  message  and  have  the 
camp  moved  up  near  the  ranch ;  adding,  "  But  stay 
yer  must,  cause  'twill  tickle  the  old  woman  and  gals 
to  hear  somebody  that  kin  talk  'Merican,"  shouting 
out,  — 

44  Halloo  ?  ma'am,  gals !  Here's  some  chaps  that'll 
talk  'Merican  for  yer:  come  out  and  see  'em." 

44  That  is  a  needless  request,"  remarked  I ;  "  for  the 
pleasure  of  spending  an  evening  in  the  society  of 
ladies,  will  more  than  compensate  for  our  delay,  or 
the  inconvenience  of  repacking." 

Our  host  offered  to  send  one  of  his  men  down  with 
the  necessary  orders  relative  to  removing  the  camp ; 
but  Sile  would  not  permit  it,  preferring  to  attend  to 
the  matter  himself. 

While  awaiting  Sile's  return,  Mr.  Maverick  in- 
formed us  that  he  came  from  Mississippi,  through 
Texas,  to  California  in  1849 ;  but  instead  of  turn- 
ing his  attention  to  mining,  as  did  most  of  the 
emigrants  of  that  date,  he  located  in  Southern  Cali- 
fornia with  his  family,  shortly  afterwards,  purchas- 
ing his  present  ranch  from  an  old  Spaniard ;  and  that 
he  now  owned  two  thousand  head  of  horses,  three 
thousand  sheep,  five  thousand  head  of  cattle,  and 
three  hundred  pigs,  employing  about  fifty  Mexicans 
and  Indians  to  look  after  his  interests. 

His  family  shortly  made  their  appearance  :  it  con- 
sisted of  his  wife,  a  sour-looking,  sallow-complex- 
ioned,  slatternly  dressed  woman ;  two  daughters,  tall, 


172  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

gaunt,  and  evidently  much  given  to  "  dipping  ; "  and 
a  barefooted,  bareheaded,  hopeful  son,  about  Hal's 
age,  who  proclaimed  himself  a  "  California  buck  " 
who  could  out-wrestle,  out-fight,  out-ride,  out-shoot, 
out-smoke  and  out-swear,  any  boy  of  his  age  in  the 
State. 

A  couple  of  hours  later,  when  visiting  the  coral, 
I  chanced  to  overhear  a  conversation  between  Hal, 
Ned,  and  Moses  (for  that  was  this  young  buck's 
name),  that  greatly  amused  me. 

"  Dad  sold  five  hundred  colts  last  spring,"  said  the 
boy,  "  and  would  'er  sold  a  thousand  more,  only  they 
wouldn't  pay  enuff." 

"  Why,  are  all  your  father's  horses,  colts  ?  "  inquired 
Hal,  evidently  disposed  to  doubt  the  truthfulness  of 
the  statement. 

"  In  course  they  ain't,"  was  the  answer. 

"  He  said  he  only  had  two  thousand  in  all,"  said 
Hal. 

"  Dad  don't  never  count  ther  colts,"  replied  the 
boy. 

"  How  much  did  he  get  apiece  for  them  ?  " 

"  Five  dollars,"  was  the  reply.  "  Say,  don't  yer 
want  ter  play  monte  ?  I'll  make  a  lay-out  for  yer  ;  " 
and  the  boy  produced  an  old  pack  of  greasy,  well- 
worn  cards. 

"  Don't  know  how,"  was  Hal's  reply. 

"  What !  dunno  how  ter  play  monte  ?  "  repeated  the 
boy.  "  You  uns  ain't  much  count,  be  yer  ?  What 
do  yer  know  ?  " 


"A   CALIFORNIA  BUCK."  173 

"  We  know  how  to  read  and  write :  do  you  ?  " 

"  No,  but  dad  does.  I  hain't  had  no  schoolin' : 
he  says  if  a  boy's  got  the  genii  (genius),  he  don't 
need  no  schoolm' ;  and,  if  he  hain't  got  none,  there 
ain't  no  use  of  it." 

"  What's  the  genii  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"I  dunno:  suthin'  boys  hev.  I  heerd  dad  tell 
ma'am,  I'd  got  it  big.  Say,  I  can  lick  you  uns." 

"  Did  you  ever  kill  an  Indian  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"  More'n  a  hundred  of  'em,  you  bet.  Dad's  killed 
more'n  a  thousand." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  said  Hal,  rather  abruptly. 

"  Ye r  mean  ter  say  I  lies,  doBs  yer?"  asked  the 
boy,  evidently  ready  to  engage  in  a  set-to. 

Thinking  it  time  to  put  an  end  to  conversation 
that  could  result  in  no  good  to  either  party,  I  stepped 
forward  and  said,  — 

"  Here,  boys,  don't  let's  have  any  trouble." 

"  Wai,  yew  make  him  quit  callin'  my  old  man 
a  liar,  or  I'll  come  from  ther  shoulder ;  I  will," 
remarked  the  young  hopeful. 

Bidding  Hal  and  Ned  pay  no  attention  to  the 
remarks  of  the  boy,  but  to  return  immediately  to 
camp,  I  started  toward  the  house  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  my  respects  to  the  ladies. 

As  soon  as  my  back  was  turned,  Mose  caught  up  a 
lasso  that  was  lying  near  by,  and  began  making 
casts  for  the  purpose  of  "  noosing "  the  boys,  who 
were  proceeding  to  camp  in  obedience  to  my  com- 
mands. So  much  dexterity  did  the  young  rascal 


174  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

evince,  that  it  required  considerable  effort  on  the 
part  of  Hal  and  Ned,  to  avoid  being  caught. 

The  "old  man,"  seeing  the  ineffectual  efforts  of 
Mose,  hastily  caught  up  a  strap  that  chanced  to  be 
near  at  hand,  and,  before  Mose  could  dodge  it,  suc- 
ceeded in  laying  it  vigorously  over  the  boy's  shoul- 
ders, two  or  three  times,  shouting  as  he  did  so,  — 

44  What  er  ye  doin'  on  thar  ?  Hain't  I  allers  told 
yer,  I'd  lick  yer  if  I  ketched  yer  playin'  it  on 
strangers?  an'  hain't  yer  found  out  that  old  Sam 
Maverick'  word's  as  good  as  his  note,  when  he  passes 
it  ?  I've  a  thunderin'  good  notion  ter  give  yer  a 
tarnal  lickin'  for  not  makin'  better  casts,  anyhow. 
What's  the  matter  with  yer  ?  Can't  yer  ketch 
nothin'  nohow  ?  " 

44 1'se  only  foolin',"  replied  the  boy. 

44  Yes,  and  you're  gitdn'  fooler  an'  fooler  ev'ry 
day  er  yer  life.  Clar  out,  now,  an'  don't  let  me  see 
yer  agin  ter-night,  or  I'll  lick  yer  sartin'.  Yer 
hear  me,  now." 

Muttering  something  that  sounded  to  me  very 
much  like,  44  You'll  hev  ter  ketch  me  fust,"  the  boy 
quietly  disappeared  around  the  corner  of  the  coral, 
with  a  look  in  his  eye  that  boded  mischief  towards 
somebody  ;  and  mine  host  and  myself  continued  our 
way  towards  the  house. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  MAVERICK  FAMILY. DIPPING.  —  MUSIC.  — THE  SHOTS. 

"  IT'S    A    GRIZZLY/' A  RUSH    FOR    CAMP. — THE   CINNA- 
MON BEAR,  AND  WHO    SHOT    IT  ? "AND   YOU   AIMIN*    AT 

THE     EYE     OF    THE     BASTE." OLD      SAM'S    WORD. WE 

MAKE   A   TRADE. WHO  WAS    SCARED  ? 

UPON  reaching  the  house,  we  found  "  ma'am  " 
seated  upon  the  threshold  of  the  door,  puffing 
away  vigorously  at  a  corn-cob  pipe  filled  with  the 
most  "  flagrant  "  of  "  navy  plug."  Squatting  by  her 
side,  upon  the  floor  of  the  piazza,  were  the  two 
daughters,  each  with  a  saucer  of  snuff  and  a  soft 
pine  stick,  engaged  in  the  filthy,  but  old-time  South- 
ern practice,  of  "  dipping." 

Seating  ourselves,  we  were  saluted  with,  — 

"  Me'n  the  gals  reckoned,  as  how  you'n  the  old 
man  was  a-gwine  ter  leave  we  uns,  ter  fight  it  out 
erlone  ter-mght." 

I  replied  that  I  had  no  intention  of  doing  any 
thing  of  the  sort ;  for,  as  the  society  of  ladies  was  the 
motive  that  induced  us  to  move  our  camp,  I  did  not 
intend  to  forego  the  anticipated  pleasure. 

"  Gals,  yer  hear  what  ther  stranger  says,  now ; 

175 


176  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

yer  want  ter  take  keer  and  do  yer  puttiest,  'cause 
he's  a  college-larnt  chap,  and  plays  ther  planner,  I 
reckon." 

"  Does  }rer,  stranger  ?  "  asked  the  elder  of  the  two, 
her  mouth  full  of  snuff,  and  displaying  the  greater 
portion  of  an  exceedingly  dirty,  naked  foot,  stretched 
out  from  beneath  the  skirt  of  her  well-worn  calico 
dress. 

"  Do  you  like  piano-music?  "  asked  I,  dodging  the 
question. 

44  You  bet  .we  do,"  cried  the  younger  of  the  two: 
"  we  never  heerd  one  but  onct,  and  that  was  just 
scrumptious,  you  bet.  Kin  yer  play  the  fiddle? 
Pedro  plays,  he  does,  powerful." 

"  Can't  we  have  a  little  music  ?  "  asked  I :  "  I'm 
very  fond  of  the  violin." 

"  Pshaw,  now !  yer  ain't,  be  yer  ?  wal,  111  fetch 
him."  Placing  the  saucer  upon  the  piazza,  with  the 
stick  in  her  mouth,  she  ran  towards  the  end  of  the 
house,  shouting  at  the  top  of  her  voice,  — 

"You  Pedro  !  you  Pedro  !  fetch  that  'ere  fiddle  o' 
yourn."  Calling  several  times  without  receiving  any 
answer,  she  returned,  and,  seating  herself  by  her  sis- 
ter's side,  said,  — 

"Dad,  that  onery  cuss  has  vamosed;  gone  down 
ter  the  camp  ter  swap  lies  with  some  of  them  Greas- 
ers thar,  I'll  bet  a  hoss.  —  You  Mose,"  continued  she, 
calling  that  young  hopeful,  whom  she  discovered 
coming  around  the  corner  of  the  coral,  lasso  in  hand  : 
"  come  here'n  pat  ther  juba,  and  whistle  fer  this'  ere 
stranger." 


THREE  SHOTS.  177 

But  Mose  only  answered  by  placing  his  thumb 
beside  his  nose,  and  giving  his  fingers  a  twirl,  as  he 
vanished  into  the  coral,  where,  a  moment  after,  we 
saw  him  endeavoring  to  lasso  a  piebald  stallion. 

Thus  left  to  our  own  resources,  conversation 
lagged  for  a  time.  Ma'am  puffed  away  at  her  corn- 
cob, the  old  man  pulled  at  his  clay,  the  girls  plied 
their  sticks  vigorously,  while  I  industriously  labored 
to  consume  the  smoking  contents  of  my  meerschaum, 
enjoying,  meanwhile,  the  splendors  of  a  California 
sunset,  and  speculating  upon  the  feasibility  of  a  con- 
templated excursion  into  Mexico  after  our  return  to 
the  ranch. 

While  thus  enjoying  our  otium  cum  dig.^  it  was 
rudely  and  unexpectedly  broken  by  the  almost  simul- 
taneous discharge  of  two  rifles,  followed  a  moment 
later  by  the  report  of  a  third,  from  the  direction  of 
our  camp. 

Springing  to  my  feet  I  listened  attentively ;  but 
nothing  more  disturbed  the  stillness  that  reigned 
about  us,  save  the  sharp,  shrill  neigh  of  a  horse  from 
the  neighboring  coral. 

"  I  wonder  what  that  meant,"  said  I  in  a  tone  of 
inquiry. 

"  Tears  like  them  youngsters  o'  yourn  are  out 
huntin',"  was  the  reply  of  mine  host,  without  mov- 
ing. 

"  Practisin'  with  them  Volvers  o'  theirn,  more 
like,"  replied  his  wife. 

"  The  reports  were  those  of  rifles,  I  think,"  said 


178  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

I ;  and  the  next  moment  I  saw  Dennis  break  from 
the  cover  of  the  woods,  rush  frantically  towards  us, 
waving  his  arms,  and  shouting,  — 

"  It's  a  grizzly,  it's  a  grizzly  !  " 

Starting  hurriedly  in  the  direction  of  camp,  Dennis 
turned  back,  and,  as  he  accompanied  us,  briefly 
explained  the  situation  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  wuz  sittin'  paceably  listin'  to  the  '  'Pache  bye ' 
[Hal]  spakin'  of  the  ways  of  thim  divils,  whin  we 
heerd  the  ould  man  [Sile]  and  the  wee  bye  [Ned] 
who'd  bin  warkin'  intil  the  woods,  both  firm'  aff 
their  goons,  and  the  next  minit  we  seed  a  big  grizzly 
runnin'  forninst  us,  wid  his  mouth  wide  open,  and  his 
teeth  more'n  tin  inches  long  ;  so  ther  c  'Pache  bye  ' 
let  aff  his  goon  at  him,  and  the  bear  tumbled  over 
onto  his  head  sure,  and  I  runned  aff  ter  call  yez  ; 
bedad,  but  'twas  a  foine  shot,  so  it  waz.  There  they 
be  now,"  continued  he,  pointing  to  the  group,  who 
as  we  approached  separated,  disclosing  to  our  view 
the  carcass  of  a  full-grown  cinnamon  bear. 

"  Who  shot  him  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  This  is  the  lucky  feller,"  replied  Sile,  pointing  to 
Hal ;  "me'n  Ned  both  fired  at  him,  but  somehow  or 
ruther  onaccountably  missed  ;  leastways  we  don't 
find  no  sign  er  our  bullets.  I  never  seed  any  thing 
drop  so  quick  though,  as  he  did  arter  Hal  fired  ;  he 
sent  his  bullet  right  threw  the  critter's  eye,  clean 
inter  his  brain.  'Twas  a  stavin'  good  shot.  It  beats 
all  nater,  squire,  how  that  boy  does  shoot." 

"  Bedad,  didn't  I  spake  till  mesilf,  whin  I  saed  the 


"  AIMIN'   AT   THE  EYE   OP  THE   BASTE."       179 

bullet  lave  the  goon,  sayin',  '  There  goes  for  his  lift 
eye '  ?  and  begorra,  it's  the  lift  eye,  sure  enuff,"  said 
Dennis,  who  was  standing  in  front  of  the  carcass. 

"  But  it's  the  bear's  right  eye  that  was  hit,"  said 
Ned,  laughing. 

"  D'ye  think  I  dunno  my  right  hand  from  my  lift  ?  " 
queried  Dennis.  "  Ain't  this  me  lift  hand,  and  ain't 
that  lift  eye  on  the  same  soide  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  are  facing  one  way,  and  the  bear's 
facing  the  other,  ain't  he  ?  "  queried  Ned. 

Whereupon  we  all  laughed  heartily,  in  the  midst 
of  which  Dennis  shouted,  "  So  he  is,  be  jabbers ;  " 
then  seating  himself  astride  the  bear,  he  continued, 
"  Sure,  it's  the  right  eye  I  was  spakin'  of  all  the 
toime." 

"  Wai,  we  don't  want  no  more  o'  your  gab ;  so,  if 
yer  can't  keep  quiet,  clar  out  now,"  said  Mr.  Mav- 
erick, roughly  addressing  him. 

"  An'  me  not  spakin'  a  word,  but  as  whist  as  a  ded 
mon  all  the  time,"  interposed  Dennis,  with  a  sly  wink 
at  Ned. 

"  That  'ere  was  a  mighty  lucky  shot,  my  boy, — 
lucky  for  me  ez  well  ez  for  you,  'cause  I  reckon 
that's  the  identercle  chap  as  has  killed  more'n  forty 
sheep  for  me  in  the  last  six  months.  He's  bin  seed 
about,  a  heap  er  times  ;  but  there  ain't  nobody  wuth 
shucks  ter  shoot  'round  here.  You've  made  a  bully 
good  shot,  my  boy.  I  never  seed  no  man  as  could 
do  better  nor  that,"  declared  our  host. 

Hal,  who  well  knew  that  the  shot  was  a  chance 


180  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

one,  after  listening  to  the  meed  of  praise  bestowed 
upon  him,  became  gradually  impressed  with  the  idea 
that,  after  all,  it  was  owing  to  his  superior  skill  as  a 
marksman,  and  not  to  a  fortunate  chance,  that  he 
had  been  so  successful :  this  impression  shortly  grew 
into  a  firm  belief,  which  so  magnified  his  idea  of  his 
own  accuracy,  that,  when  turning  towards  him  I 
said,  — 

"  You  are  certainly  entitled  to  congratulation  on 
such  a  fortunate  shot,  Hal.  It's  no  small  thing  to 
shoot  a  cinnamon  bear  dead,  at  the  first  fire  :  they 
are  about  as  hard  to  kill  as  a  grizzly,"  he  promptly 
replied,  — 

"  I  knew  that  when  I  fired  at  him :  that's  the 
reason  I  aimed  at  his  eye.  I  saw,"  continued  he, 
swelling  with  importance,  as  he  more  fully  realized 
the  unusual  result  of  his  single  shot,  "  I  saw,  that 
every  thing  depended  upon  my  nerve,  after  Sile  and 
Ned  missed  him  ;  and  I  determined  that  that, 
shouldn't  fail  me." 

"  But  what  made  you  think  we  had  missed  ?  "  in- 
quired Ned. 

"  Think  ?"  queried  Hal  contemptuously.  "  I  didn't 
think :  I  knew.  Couldn't  any  one  see,  that  instead 
of  hitting  him,  your  shots  were  driving  him  straight 
into  our  camp  ?  " 

"  Bedad,  don't  I  know  that  mesilf  ?"  interrupted 
Dennis  ;  "  for  whin  I  saed  yer  hands  a-shakin'  so  yer 
could  hardly  clutch  yer  goon  aff  the  ground,  and  yer 
face  a-lookin'  so  white  and  scart  loike,  I  sed,  spak- 


181 

t 

in'  aizily  to  mesilf,  4  Dinnis  Burke,  it's  no  place  for 
the  loikes  of  yersilf ; '  and  jist  as  I  was  lavin'  for 
the  ranch  ter  spake  to  the  masther  there,  didn't  the 
goon  go  aff  afore  yeez  got  it  to  yer  shouldher,  sure, 
and  you  all  the  toime,  aimin'  at  the  eye  of  the  baste." 

"  The  gun  was  up  to  my  face,  and  I  wasn't  scared,'* 
declared  Hal,  giving  his  warm-hearted  admirer  a 
look  calculated  to  wither  anybody  a  little  less  ob- 
tuse than  Dennis,  into  silence.  "  Besides,  how  could 
I  have  hit  him  in  the  eye,  if  I  hadn't  aimed  at  it  ?  " 

"  Ov  coorse  ye  couldn't.  Don't  I  say  it  mesilf? 
Didn't  I  sae  ye  wid  my  own  eyes,  takin'  aim  at  the 
eye  of  the  baste,  and  your  two  hands  all  the  toime  so 
thremblin'  wid  agerness,  ye  could  bairly  clutch  the 
goon  aff  the  ground  ?  " 

This  explanation  of  Dennis  brought  a  hearty 
laugh  from  us  all,  in  which  Hal  joined  quite  as 
merrily  as  any  one,  notwithstanding  he  evidently  re- 
garded the  statement  as  a  compliment  of  a  somewhat 
doubtful  character.  He  was  speedily  re-assured, 
however,  when  Sile,  placing  his  hand  upon  his  shoul- 
der, kindly  said,  — 

"  The  bar's,  nuff  for  us :  we  know  it's  here,  and  we 
know  you  shot  it,  and  there  hain't  nobody  else  killed 
one  like  it.  Cinnamon  bars  is  scace  and  hard  tew 
kill." 

"  That  ere  shot  o'  yourn's,  saved  me  many  a  dollar's 
worth  er  stock,  I  reckon ;  and  if  yer  come  hum  this 
way,  my  boy,  you  stop  at  Maverick's  ranch,  and  old 
Sam'll  give  you  a  dozen  er  his  best  ewes,  ter  mak  a 
start  er  your  own." 


182  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

Hal's  eyes  sparkled,  and  his  face  fairly  beamed 
with  happiness,  as  he  said,  — 

"Truly,  will  you?" 

"  Old  Sam  Maverick's  word's  as  good  as  his  note 
any  time,  when  he  passes  it.  I  tell'd  yer  you  should 
have  'em,  and  so  yer  shell,"  was  the  reply. 

"  But  we  ain't  coming  home  this  way,  are  we  ?  " 
said  the  boy,  his  face  clouding  over  with  disappoint- 
ment as  he  remembered  the  plan  of  our  trip. 

"  Maybe  the  squire  can  buy  his  cattle  here,  as  well 
as  he  can  ter  go  clar  on  ter  San  Jose,"  suggested 
Sile. 

"  But  we  want  to  see  the  quicksilver-mines,"  said 
Ned. 

"  Wai,  that  needn't  interfere,  nohow :  we  kin  go 
on  an'  see  them,  and  come  back  this  way  a'ter  the 
cattle,  if  the  squire  kin  make  a  trade  that  suits  him 
here,"  replied  Sile.  "  S'pose  yer  talk  with  the  old 
man,  then,  while  I  git  off  this  bar's  jacket.  I  kinder 
guess  Hal'll  want  this  'ere  skin  tew  .sleep  on,  some 
'er  these  nights." 

"  How  is  it  ?  "  said  I,  turning  to  Mr.  Maverick :  "  do 
you  want  to  sell  some  of  your  cattle  ?  " 

"  Cattle,  why,  er  course  I  do.  That's  what  I've 
got  'em  for." 

"  Then  the  only  question  is  the  price,"  said  I. 

"  Wai,  squire,  that  shan't  stan'  in  yer  way  ;  for  I'll 
sell  'em  a  dollar  a  head  cheaper,  than  yew  can  buy 
'em  from  any  other  man  in  Californy." 

"  Then  there's  no  need  of  looking  any  farther," 
remarked  I,  with  a  smile. 


WE  MAKE   A  TRADE.  183 

"  Yew  bet,  squire,  yew  heerd  me  ;  an'  old  Sam 
Maverick's  word's  as  good  as  his  note  any  time,  when 
he  passes  it." 

The  boys,  who,  with  the  balance  of  the  camp,  had 
been  watching  the  process  of  flaying  the  bear,  now, 
as  the  probabilities  of  a  trade  became  more  apparent, 
began  to  manifest  some  interest  in  the  conversation  ; 
for,  leaving  Sile,  they  joined  Mr.  Maverick  and 
myself,  just  in  time  to  hear  the  former  remark. 

"  I've  got  as  likely  a  lot  of  cattle  as  kin  be  found 
in  the  State  ;  and'll  sell  yer  four  hundred  head  er 
two  or  three  year  olds,  as  cheap  as  any  other  man." 

"  You  said  you'd  sell  'em  a  dollar  a  head  cheaper 
than  any  other  man,"  interposed  Ned  rather  abruptly. 

"  So  I  did,  youngster ;  an'  old  Sam  Maverick's 
word's  as  good's  his  note  any  time,  when  he  passes 
it ;  but  I  was  talkin'  with  the  squire,  I  beleve." 

"  You  were,  indeed,  Mr.  Maverick,"  was  my 
reply  ;  "  and  I'm  astonished  that  Ned  should  have 
interrupted  you.  He  must  have  forgotten  the  old 
adage  which  was  taught ,  me,  in  my  younger  days, 
that  4  boys  should  be  seen,  and  not  heard.' ' 

"  Wai,  boys  thinks  they  know  a  heap  more'n  old 
folks,  in  these  days.  Now,  there's  my  Mose  ;  yer 
can't  tell  him  nothin' :  he  knows  it  all,  or  at  least  he 
thinks  he  does,  an'  that's  the  next  thing  ter  knowin' 
it." 

"  I  don't  imagine  that  I  do,"  replied  Ned ;  "  and  I 
ask  your  pardon  for  interrupting  you.  I  didn't 
think." 


184  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  That's  the  great  trouble  with  us  all,  Ned :  we 
don't  think,  consequently  act  too  hastily.  Now,  if 
you  and  Hal  wan't  to  hear,  I've  not  the  slightest 
objection ;  but  don't  interrupt  again." 

"  I  never  do,"  declared  Hal :  "  you  don't  catch 
me  interrupting  anybody." 

"  Wai,  squire,  I'll  tell  yew  what.  I'll  go  up  to  the 
house,  an'  hev  a  talk  with  ma'am,  an'  give  yer  the 
figgers  on  them  cattle  in  the  mornin'.  Yer  ain't 
a-goin'  ter  be  in  no  hurry  'bout  startin'  nohow." 

"  Very  well ;  take  your  own  time,  Mr.  Maverick : 
only  remember  that  we  must  buy  cheap,  if  we  con- 
clude to  purchase  here." 

"  All  right,  squire.  I'll  be  on  hand  in  ther  morn- 
in'. You  Mose  ! "  called  the  old  man,  looking  about 
him  to  find  his  hopeful  son;  but  Mose  had  mys- 
teriously disappeared  in  the  darkness,  and  after 
shouting  once  or  twice  more,  without  eliciting  any 
reply,  the  old  man  solaced  himself  by  declaring 
that,  — 

"^That  boy's  a  heap  wus  ter  find,  than  a  yearlin' 
colt,  an'  I  s'pose  he's  gone  off  up  ter  the  house. 
Mighty  sing'lar,  though,"  continued  he  in  a  reflec- 
tive tone :  "  I  never  know'd  him  ter  do  sich  a  thing 
afore ; "  and  he  was  forced  to  take  his  departure  alone. 

No  sooner  was  he  fairly  on  the  road,  than  the  boy 
and  Dennis  both  put  in  an  appearance  ;  and  when 
informed  that  they  were  wanted,  Mose  replied,  — 

"I  heerd  him  holler.  He's  allers  wantin'  some- 
thin'.  I  ain't  a-goin'  hum  till  I  git  a  chunk  of  that 


CINNAMON  VS.    GRIZZLY.  185 

bar-meat.  I  never  et  no  cinnamon  bar,  and  I'm  a- 
goin'  ter  try  it  ter-night." 

The  bear  was  soon  dressed,  and  in  a  very  few  min- 
utes, we  all  had  a  piece  of  the  meat  nicely  roasting  up- 
on sticks,  set  up  before  the  roaring  camp-fire  ;  and, 
although  we  could  not  smother  it  in  honey,  succeeded 
in  making  a  hearty  supper,  which,  although  not 
served  in  the  most  recherchS  style,  was  as  toothsome 
as  if  eaten  from  the  most  delicate  Sevres  china. 

"  I  didn't  think  cinnamon  bear  meat  was  so  much 
better  than  grizzly,"  said  Hal,  after  eating  heartily, 
"  but  it's  a  great  deal  nicer." 

"  Maybe  that's  'cause  you  killed  it,"  said  Sile, 
"  and  maybe,  it's  'cause  you're  hungry.  I  don't 
reckon  there's  much  difference :  the  grain  er  both's 
kinder  coarse,  and  my  old  pard  used  ter  say,  that 
ther  cinnamon  warn't  no  thin'  but  a  cross  at  ween 
the  grizzly  and  black." 

"  Did  you  ever  meet  many  of  these  fellows  in  your 
travels,  Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Never  seen  but  one  on  'em,  and  that  was  'bout 
four  year  ago,  over  in  Calaveras  County,  whar  ther 
big  trees  air,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Those  are  something  that  I  should  like  to  hear 
about,"  said  I. 

"But  tell  us  about  the  bear  too,"  exclaimed  Hal. 
"  They  are  mighty  scarce  in  this  country,  ain't  they  ?  " 

"  Thar's  lots  on  'em  'bout  here,"  declared  Mose, 
"  and  'tain't  no  ways  likely  that  this  'ere's  the  one 
that's  bin  killin'  dad's  sheep  ;  but  ther  old  man  reck- 


186  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

ons  'twas,  and  I  hain't  nothin'  ter  say,  only  he's  a 
durned  ole  fool  ter  say  he'd  give  yer  ten  sheep  ter 
pay  for  killin'  of  it,  anyhow." 

"  These  fellers  air  mighty  fond  er  sheep,"  said  Sile. 
"They  make  putty  quick  work  when  they  git 
amongst  a  flock,  I  tell  yeou." 

44  How  do  you  know  it  ain't  the  one  ?  "  inquired 
Hal  of  Mose. 

"  Dunno  nothin'  'bout  it,"  replied  Mose,  "  only 
'tain't  no  ways  likely  'tis ;  an'  if  'twas,  you  hain't 
arnt  no  sheep  by  killin'  of  it,  'cause  'twarn't  nothin' 
but  luck,  nohow.  I  heerd  what  Dennis  said." 

"  He  didn't  say  so,"  declared  Hal.  "  Did  you, 
Dennis  ?  "  appealing  to  him. 

"  Av  coorse  I  didn't.  Didn't  I  sae  yez  takin'  aim 
straight  at  the  eye  av  the  baste,  and  didn't  I  say  so, 
be  jabbers?" 

44  You  said  he  was  scart  anyhow,"  stoutly  main- 
tained Mose. 

44  Faith,  I  didn't  spake  a  word  'bout  his  bein'  schart. 
He  was  no  more  schart  than  I  was,  and  Dennis 
Burke  never  was  schart  in  his  life." 

44  Warn' t  yer  scart  when  that"  puma  got  after 
yer  ?  "  inquired  Mose. 

44  Me  schart  at  the  pumel  ?  will,  now,  ask  any  one 
of  these  gentoilmen  here,  if  I  was  schart.  The 
pumel  don't  live  that  can  scare  Dennis  Burke  —  or 
any  o'ther  wild  baste,"  added  he,  after  a  moment's 
hesitation. 

44  Come,  Sile,  it  will  soon  be  bedtime,  and  if  we're 


WHO   WAS   SCARED?  187 

to  hear  that  story  to-night,  it's  high  time  you  began,'* 
said  I,  somewhat  rudely  interrupting  the  discussion. 

"  I'm  ready  any  time,  squire :  I  was  only  waitin' 
for  'em  tew  find  out  which  one  was  scart." 

"  Well,  never  mind  about  that :  go  ahead  with  the 
bear  story.  We'll  hear  about  the  trees  another  time," 
said  I. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

A   CAMP   IN   A   BIG   TREE.  SILE's    CINNAMON   BEAR   STORY. 

HOW   JOSH    CURTIS    FETCHED    FRESH    MEAT   FOR  BREAK- 
FAST   INTO    CAMP.  TREED    BY    A    BEAR.  A     STAMPEDE. 

44  MOIGHTY  POOR    LUCK."  AMONG    THE    QUICKSANDS. 

A  DANGEROUS  CROSSING. BAD  LUCK. A  NEW  FORD. 

HAL    IN    MORE  TROUBLE. 

AFTER  filling  and  lighting  his  pipe  afresh,  Sile 
commenced  as  follows:  — 

"Four  year  ago  this  spring,  my  old  pard  Ike  Mc- 
Kenzie  and  a  young  chap  that  we  picked  up  down 
in  Tuolumne,  was  a-comin'  up  threw  Calaveras  on 
our  way  to  Sacramento,  and  camped  in  the  holler 
of  one  er  them  big  trees  one  night." 

"  Made  your  camp  in  what  ?  "  inquired  Hal  rather 
incredulously. 

44  Made  it  in  the  holler  er  one  er  them  big  trees," 
replied  Sile. 

44  I'd  like  to  know  how  big  that  tree  was,"  said 
Hal  with  a  very  knowing  air. 

44  Wai,  as  nigh  as  we  could  figure,  the  one  we 
camped  in,  was  'bout  three  hundred  feet  high,  and 
eighteen  or  twenty  threw  ;  leastways,  thar  was  room 

188 


SILE'S  CINNAMON  BEAR  STOEY.  189 

enuff  for  a  dozen  or  fifteen  men  tew  sleep  in  it,  easy 
enuff." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  there  was  a  tree  big 
enough  for  "  —  Here  he  was  interrupted  by  Sile, 
who  said  with  some  asperity,  — 

"  Neow  look  a-here,  sonny:  if  you  want  this  'ere 
bar  story,  you  jest  keep  still,  and  don't  bother  me  no 
more." 

"  Hal's  the  one  who  never  interrupts,"  remarked 
Ned  rather  maliciously. 

"  Never  mind  Hal,  sonny :  see  that  you,  don't  do 
it,"  good-humoredly  replied  Sile. 

"  Wai,  we  was  a-comin'  up  from  Tuolumne,  and 
camped  in  ther  big  grove  ;  and  airly  in  the  mornin'  I 
said  tew  Curtis,  that  I  wished  he'd  fetch  some  fresh 
meat  inter  camp  for  breakfast,  'cause,  yer  see,  we 
hadn't  had  nothin'  but  pinole  1  for  two  days,  and  a 
feller  can't  stan'  it  tew  ride  many  miles  with  that, 
for  a  steady  diet. 

"  Curtis  was  a  young  chap  thet  hadn't  bin  in 
Californy  long,  and  hed  a  big  idee  that  the  only 
thing  he  wanted,  tew  make  him  a  'complished  hunter, 
was  tew  be  able  tew  say  he'd  killed  a  grizzly. 

"  Arter  he'd  gone,  I  started  out  and  took  the  hosses 
down  tew  a  swale  ter  feed  a  little,  and  on  the  way 
down  I  seen  Curtis,  and  asked  him  if  he'd  seed  any 
game.  He  said  4  Nothin'  worth  shootin','  and  I  told 

1  Pinole  is  made  of  parched  corn,  ground  upon  a  metate,  or  Mexi- 
can household  mill.  It  is  then  mixed  with  sugar  and  water,  making 
a  very  pleasant  and  palatable  article  of  food. 


190  CEOSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

him  I  was  goin'  tew  leave  the  hosses  tew  feed  awhile 
in  the  swale,  and  for  him  to  hurry  up,  'cause  we  was 
all  hungry ;  but,"  says  I  (knowin'  his  weakness) 
"yeou  hain't  lost  no  grizzly  this  mornin',  so  don't 
yer  try  tew  find  one.' 

"  4  Never  yeou  mind  about  givin'  me  advice :  I'll 
bring  some  fresh  meat  inter  camp,  or  my  name  ain't 
Josh  Curtis,'  says  he.  So  I  went  back  tew  camp, 
and  crawled  inter  Ike's  blankets  tew  take  a  little 
nap  ;  'cause  I've  found  thar  ain't  nothin'  that'll  sat- 
isfy yer  when  ye're  hungry,  like  a  nap  —  'specially  if 
yer  can't  get  nothin'  ter  eat. 

"  I  hadn't  laid  thar  long,  afore  I  heerd  Ike  sing 
out  4  Sile ! '  I  knowed  from  the  way  he  hollered 
suthin'  was  up,  so  I  grabbed  my  rifle,  and  broke  out, 
and  the  fust  thing  I  seed  was  the  hosses  a-comin' 
tearin'  along,  as  though  there  was  forty  Injuns  arter 
'em.  Then  we  seen  Curtis  with  his  hat  off,  followin' 
along  behind  them,  and  yellin',  '  Oh,  Lord !  oh, 
Lord ! '  whenever  he  could  ketch  breath  enuff  ter 
speak.  He'd  thro  wed  away  his  rifle  and  pistils,  and 
was  jest  stripped  for  runnin'.  Wai,  we  didn't  know 
what  tew  make  of  it  at  fust;  but  in  a  minit  more 
we  seed  what  I  thought,  was  the  biggest  grizzly  I 
ever  see,  comin'  right  straight  fur  camp,  arter  him. 

"The  hosses  went  plumb  threw  camp  as  hard  as 
they  could  go,  and  just  as  though  they  hadn't  no  right 
tew  stop  thar ;  and  Josh  was  makin'  stavin'  good 
time  arter  'em,  I  tell  }^er,  when  Ike  sung  out,  4  Take 
keer,  Sile,  it's  a  cinnamont,'  and  took  towards  a  little 


TREED  BY  A  BEAR.  191 

tree,  and  clim'  up.  I'd  often  heerd  old  trappers  tell 
that  when  a  cinnamont  got  riled,  he  was  a  heap 
worse'n  a  grizzly,  'cause  he  was  tougher  and  uglier 
like ;  and  I  seen  that  this  one  was  mad  clean  threw : 
anybody  could  'a'  seed  that,  if  they  wasn't  looking 
'cause  he  made  sich  a  infernal  kind  of  a  noise  a- 
runnin'. 

"  Wai,  when  I  heerd  Ike  sing  out,  I  was  kinder 
scart  for  a  minit,  and  dropped  my  rifle,  and  started 
to  shin  up  a  tree  myself ;  and  just  as  I  got  out  'er 
reach,  Josh  come  tearin'  along,  and  grabbed  a  limb 
that  hung  low,  er  the  same  tree,  and  swung  hisself 
off  er  the  ground  quicker'n  I  could  say  '  scat.' 

"  The  critter  stopped  right  under  the  tree,  tew 
kinder  take  breath,  I  s'pose ;  and  I  yelled  ter  Ike, 
tew  give  him  a  shot,  for  I  didn't  hev  nothin'  tew 
shoot  with,  'cause  I'd  throwed  my  rifle  down,  and 
left  my  pistil  under  my  blankets,  when  Ike  woke 
me  up  hollerin'. 

"  As  soon  as  Josh  could  git  breath  enuff  tew  speak, 
he  sung  out,  4  I've  fetched  yer  fresh  meat  inter 
camp,  Sile  ;  and  if  yer  don't  take  it  'tain't  my  fault.' 

"  '  Yes,'  said  I ;  4  and  a  nice  mess  you've  made  of 
it,  too.' 

" '  I'm  goin'  tew  wait  whar  I  am,  till  it's  better 
cooked,  afore  I  take  any  more  of  it,'  said  he,  laffin'- 
like. 

"Wai,  Ike  had  fired  all  the  shots  he  had;  and 
thar  we  was,  all  er  -us,  roostin'  in  trees ;  our  hosses 
had  stampeded,  nobody  knowed  whar ;  and  a  yaller 


192  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

bar  as  big  as  a  cow,  a-settin'  lickin'  his  chops,  and 
waitin'  for  us  tew  come  down. 

"  We  knowed  ther  critter  hed  seven  er  Ike's  bullets 
in  him  ;  but  he  didn't  seem  ter  mind  'em  any  more'n 
he  would  so  many  paper-wads.  He  sot  thar  jest  as 
though  he  meant  tew  stay ;  and  if  one  on  us  moved 
the  least  bit,  he'd  look  up  ajid  growl,  as  much  as  ter 
say,  '  Come  down  and  try  it,  if  yer  think  yer  want 
to.' 

"  What  on  airth  ter  do  I  didn't  know ;  and  I  see 
Ike  was  as  much  puzzled  as  I  was ;  and,  as  for  Josh, 
all  he  did  was  to  set'n  laff,  an  say,  '  I've  done's  I 
agreed ;  I've  fetched  yer  fresh  meat  inter  camp :  why 
don't  yer  cook  it  ? ' 

"  We  was  gittin'  mighty  hungry,  as  well  as  cur'rus 
'bout  our  bosses  ;  and  we  all  knowed  suthin'  hed  got 
ter  be  done,  though  none  on  us  seemed  ter  care  'bout 
doin'  of  it. 

"  Putty  soon  the  bar  diskivered  my  rifle  layin'  on 
the  ground ;  and  arter  pokin'  it  over  and  over,  two  or 
three  times,  he  grabbed  it  in  his  mouth,  and  took  his 
paws  and  bent  the  bar'l  almost  double,  in  less'n  a 
minit. 

"That  made  me  mad,  for  I  knowed  I  shouldn't 
get  another  rifle  like  it  in  Californy  ;  and  I  said  tew 
Ike,  '  I  ain't  goin'  ter  stay  up  here  no  longer :  we'll 
shin  down  at  ther  same  time,  and  if  he  starts  to  chase 
either  on  us,  the  one  he  takes  arter  must  keep  run- 
nin'  'round  a  tree,  while  the  other  one  tackles  him 
with  his  knife.'  Wai,  boys,  as  sartin  as  you're 


"MOIGHTY  POOR  LUCK."  193 

livin',  we  didn't  neither  of  us  'member  that  we 
hadn't  got  but  one  knife  atween  us,  till  we  was  all 
ready  ter  drop.  Yer  see,  I'd  left  my  knife  with  my 
pistil-belt ;  Josh  he'd  throwed  his  away  when  the  bar 
started  for  him  ;  and  Ike  was  the  only  one  that  hed  a 
knife :  and  thar  we  was,  and  thar  we  sot  all  day, 
waitin'  fer  that  critter  tex  leave.  We  was  enamost 
starved  tew  death,  too  ;  for  the  critter  never  left  till 
night,  and  then  we  darsn't  move  for  fear  he  hadn't 
gone. 

"I  never  seed  a  feller  so  mad  as  Ike  was  at  the 
idee  of  bein'  treed  by  thet  bar.  He  cussed  and  swore 
more'n  I  ever  heerd  him  afore ;  for  he  was  mad  clean 
threw  'bout  the  bosses  stampedin',  as  well  as  t'other 
thing. 

"  Ther  more  he  swore,  the  more  Josh  laughed  ; 
and  that  didn't  please  him  none  too  much,  I  kin  tell 
yer.  Wai,  we  sot  ther  night  out,  and  as  soon  as 
'twas  light,  and  we  could  see  that  ther  old  feller'd 
really  gone,  we  come  down  ;  and  as  quick  as  we  could 
git  the  kinks  outer  our  legs,  we  started  for  camp, 
glad  enuff  tew  git  some  pinole,  you  kin  bet. 

uAs  soon  as  we  got  a  good  share  er  that,  we 
started  off  arter  the  bosses,  and  found  'em  'bout  ten 
mile  away,  feedin'  as  quiet  as  though  they'd  never 
heerd  of  a  cinnamont  bar. 

"  That's  the  only  scrimmage  I  ever  had  with  one 
o'  these  critters  ;  and  seein's  I  missed  this  one,  'pears 
like  I  don't  hev  any  sort  o'  luck  with  'em." 

"  Faith,  I  think  ye  hez,  moighty  poor  luck,  I  does," 
said  Dennis. 


194  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  So  I  do,"  replied  Sile;  "but  my  old  mother  used 
ter  say,  '  Try  ag'in ;  better  luck  next  time ; '  and  I 
ain't  noways  discouraged,  'cause  I  mean  tew  git  one 
on  'em,  one  er  these  days." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  any  thing  more  of  the  bear  ?  " 
inquired  Ned. 

"  No,  nor  never  wanted  ;to,"  said  Sile.  "  I  never 
told  ther  story  afore,  and  shouldn't  now  if  it  hadn't 
bin  fer  missin'  this  critter  ter-night." 

"  I'll  bet  a  hoss,  yer  never  sent  that  other  feller 
out  ter  fetch  fresh  meat  into  camp  agin,  did  yar 
now  ?  "  inquired  Mose. 

"  Halloo,  youngster,  you  here  ?  well,  you'n  the 
Irishman  hed  better  be  makin'  tracks  for  the  ranch, 
or  you'll  hev  the  old  man  down  arter  yer,"  was  Sile's 
answer. 

"  He's  as  mad  as  he  kin  be  now,  so  we  may  as  well 
stay  it  out,"  responded  Mose. 

"  It's  high  time  tew  go  ter  bed  anyhow,"  said  Sile. 
"  So  yer  may  as  well  start  along  towards  home. 
Come,  boys,  you  and  me'll  turn  in,"  addressing  Hal 
and  Ned,  "  so's  tew  be  on  hand  ter  hear  that  bar- 
gain in  the  mornin'." 

"  But  we  want  to  know  about  those  big  trees  to- 
night," persisted  Ned. 

"  I  sha'n't  say  another  word  to-night.  You'll  hev 
tew  wait  till  'nother  time,"  and  Sile  went  out  to  pay 
his  usual  visit  to  our  animals  before  retiring ;  ignor- 
ing the  thanks  offered  for  the  evening's  entertain- 
ment, in  a  very  unusual  and  uncourteous  manner. 


A  DANGEROUS   PASSAGE.  195 

Early  upon  the  following  morning,  our  camp  was 
visited  by  Mr.  Maverick,  whom  we  had  invited  to 
breakfast  with  us  ;  and  after  partaking  of  a  remark- 
ably fine  juicy  bear-steak,  and  drinking  a  cup  of 
excellent  coffee,  a  bargain  was  concluded  for  the 
sale  of  four  hundred  two  and  three  year  old  heifers, 
at  a  very  moderate  price  per  head,  to  be  delivered  at 
the  coral  upon  the  ranch,  any  time  after  one,  and 
within  three  weeks,  from  that  day. 

This  business  being  satisfactorily  arranged,  we 
once  more  set  out  upon  our  journey  to  the  famous 
New  Almaden  quicksilver-mines,  from  thence  in- 
tending to  return  directly  to  Maverick's  ranch. 

For  the  first  few  miles  our  trail  led  through  a 
magnificent  country,  beautifully  diversified  with  for- 
est and  plain  and  hill  and  valley. 

Sile  and  myself  had  fallen  behind,  leaving  Hal 
and  Ned  in  charge  of  the  train,  which  about  noon 
arrived  at  the  bank  of  a  broad  but  apparently  shal- 
low stream. 

With  his  accustomed  impetuosity,  Hal  rushed  in 
to  pilot  the  way  across,  calling  upon  the  muleteers 
with  the  train,  to  follow  him. 

This  they  did ;  and  when  Sile  and  myself  arrived 
upon  the  bank,  a  few  moments  later,  it  was  to  find 
the  heavily  laden  animals  floundering  about  in  a 
dangerous  quicksand. 

Hal's  pony  was  already  up  to  his  back,  and  the 
boy  himself,  wading  towards  the  shore.  Two  of 
the  lightest  loaded  mules,  and  one  of  the  muleteers' 


196  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

animals,  were  just  emerging  from  the  stream,  while 
the  balance  of  the  train  with  the  exception  of  Ned's 
pony,  were  in  such  peril,  that  it  was  evident,  unless 
help  shortly  reached  them,  they  would  be  unable  to 
extricate  themselves  from  the  loose  shifting  sand. 

Sile  comprehended  the  situation  at  a  glance,  and 
hastened  to  the  rescue,  giving  his  orders  with  so 
much  coolness  and  deliberation,  that  the  men  at 
once  recovered  their  presence  of  mind,  and  labored 
so  faithfully,  that  we  succeeded  in  saving  all  but 
Hal's  pony  and  the  mule  that  bore  our  tent. 

We  made  every  effort  to  rescue  the  pony,  whose 
frantic  exertions  to  liberate  himself  were  pitiful  to 
behold ;  and  when  at  last,  he  could  no  longer  move, 
and  it  became  evident  that  he  must  certainly  perish, 
Sile  put  his  pistol  to  the  poor  creature's  head,  and 
discharging  it  instantly  ended  what  must  otherwise 
have  proved,  a  slow  and  painful  death. 

We  all  felt  sad  at  the  fate  of  the  poor  fellow,  for 
he  was  a  great  favorite  with  every  one,  being  unusu- 
ally intelligent  and  veiy  fleet. 

44  What  made  you  forsake  him,  Hal  ?  "  inquired  I, 
after  we  had  reached  the  bank. 

"  I  felt  him  sinking,  and  trembling  under  me  at  the 
same  time,  and  thought  that  if  I  left  him,  he  would 
be  able  to  get  through  easier,  than  with  me  on  his 
back,"  was  the  reply. 

"  You've  already  had  one  experience  in  crossing 
the  quicksands :  why  didn't  you  profit  by  that  ?  " 
said  I. 


BAD  LUCK.  197 

"  A  fellow  can't  always  remember  every  thing, 
when  he  gets  into  a  scrape,"  said  the  boy. 

"  True  ;  but  you  should  have  remembered  that 
when  in  a  similar  trouble  a  few  days  since,  Sile  told 
you,  that  if  you  ever  again  found  yourself  obliged  to 
cross  a  bed  of  quicksand,  you  should  sit  lightly  upon 
your  horse,  with  feet  well  out  of  your  stirrups,  keep 
a  firm,  steady  hand  upon  the  rein,  and,  if  you  felt 
the  animal  sinking,  apply  the  spur  sharply.  Did  you 
think  of  those  directions  to-day,  Hal  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  You  see,  it  was  so  unexpected,  that  I  hadn't  time 
to  think  of  any  thing :  the  ford  looked  so  easy  that  I 
never  dreamed  of  its  being  dangerous." 

"  That's  no  excuse,  Hal :  in  the  first  place,  you 
are  not  competent  to  select  a  fording-place,  or  to 
pilot  any  one  across  a  stream.  You  should  have 
waited  'for  Sile  to  come  up.  You  see  the  con- 
sequences of  acting  without  proper  consideration. 
You  have  lost  your  pony,  and  our  cargas  have  got  so 
thoroughly  wet,  that  we  shall  be  obliged  to  remain 
here  all  day  I  expect,  to  dry  the  loads,  saying  nothing 
of  the  damage  they  have  sustained  by  the  wetting." 

"  There  couldn't  any  one  have  known  there  was 
quicksand  there,  and  I  don't  believe  Sile  would  have 
brought  'em  over  any  better  than  I  did." 

"I'll  venture  to  say  that  Sile  would  not  have  lost 
an  animal ;  at  least  he  would  have  acted  with  more 
caution.  His  experience  has  taught  him  to  do  that, 
if  nothing  else." 

"  When  you  come  to  talk  of  experience,  I've  had 


198  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

as  much  of  that,  as  any  one  ;  while  I  was  with  the 
Apaches  I  learned  the  art  of  woodcraft,  and  I  hain't 
forgotten  what  I  learned  either." 

"  You  don't  pretend  to  know  as  much  about  ford- 
ing streams,  as  Sile  does,  Hal  ?  " 

"  But  I've  killed  a  cinnamon  bear,"  retorted  the 
boy,  "  and  that's  more  than  Sile  ever  did." 

Just  at  this  moment  Sile,  who  had  been  superin- 
tending the  unpacking  of  the  carym,  came  up,  and, 
overhearing  the  latter  portion  of  Hal's  remark,  good- 
humoredly  replied,  — 

"  That's  so,  sonny  ;  you've  got  me  on  that ;  I  own 
up  beat.  But  how  come  yer  tew  miss  the  ford  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  miss  the  ford,"  replied  Hal. 

"  Wai,  somebody  did,  sonny  ;  leastways  I've  just 
been  across  and  back  on  foot,  with  a  good  hard  bot- 
tom, and  the  water  not  up  tew  my  knees." 

For  once,  Hal  was  evidently  nonplussed,  and  found 
no  excuse  to  offer;  but  even  went  so  far  as  to 
acknowledge  that  every  person  was  liable  to  make 
a  mistake,  declaring,  that  he  never  would  attempt  to 
pilot  another  party  across  a  stream  as  long  as  his 
name  was  Hal  Hyde. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

WE  BUY  A  NEW  HORSE.  —  MR.  HITCHCOCK.  —  THE  BIG 
TREES.  -  WHAT  THE  BOYS  THOUGHT.  -  A  NEW-ENGLAND 
HOME.  -  HAL'S  CHOICE.  -  HOW  HE  BROKE  HIS  HORSE. 
-  PLUCK  AND  GRIT.  —  HAL  VICTORIOUS.  —  CONGRATULA- 
TIONS. -  ON  THE  ROAD  ONCE  MORE. 


,  Hal,  what  are  you  going  to  do  for  a  horse 
to  ride?  "  said  I  a  few  hours  after  the  con- 
versation narrated  in  the  previous  chapter. 

"  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  ride  one  of  the  mule- 
teers' until  we  can  buy  one,"  coolly  replied  the  boy. 

"That  won't  do,"  was  my  reply  :  "  neither  of  them 
can  be  deprived  of  their  animals  ;  they  need  them 
constantly." 

"  I  can  walk,  can't  I  ?  "  he  asked. 

"I  suppose  so;  or  perhaps  Ned  will  ride  *tie 
and  tie.'  —  What  do  you  say  to  that  suggestion  ?  " 
said  I,  turning  towards  Ned  :  "  will  you  permit  Hal 
to  ride  your  pony  part  of  the  time  ?  " 

44  Why,  of  course  I  will,"  responded  he  :  4t  I  in- 
tended to  ask  Hal  to  ride  him." 

11  There,  Hal,  I  don't  see  but  you  are  provided  for," 
said  I. 

199 


200  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  Do  you  suppose  I'm  going  to  share  a  horse  with 
anybody?"  angrily  inquired  Hal.  "No,  sir:  if  I 
can't  have  a  horse  to  myself,  I'll  either  walk,  or  go 
back  to  old  Maverick's  ranch  and  stay,  until  you 
return  there." 

"  There  ain't  much  danger  of  your  going  to  the 
ranch,  I  guess,"  said  Ned ;  "  for  I  heard  Mose  tell  you, 
he'd  lick  you  the  first  time  he  caught  you  alone." 

"  I'm  not  afraid  of  Mose,  or  you  either,  Ned  Brown," 
said  Hal  belligerently  :  "I  want  you  to  understand 
that.  I'm  able  to  take  care  of  myself,  without  any 
of  your  help." 

"  I  presume  you  are  ;  but  if  you'd  taken  my  advice, 
and  waited  a  few  minutes  this  morning,  for  Sile  to 
come  up,  instead  of  rushing  into  the  water  to  pilot 
the  train  over,  you'd  have  had  your,  horse  now," 
replied  Ned,  who  was  rather  fond  of  saying  things 
that  he  knew  would  provoke  Hal. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  it,  any  way  ?  I  guess 
I've  had  experience  enough  to  find  my  way  across  a 
stream  like  that,  without  waiting  for  Sile  or  anybody 
else,"  retorted  Hal  in  an  angry  manner. 

Just  at  this  moment  Sile  came  up,  accompanied  by 
a  stranger  on  horseback,  whom  he  introduced  as  a 
Mr.  Hitchcock,  informing  us  that  he  was  the  owner 
of  a  ranch  lying  a  couple  of  miles  to  the  east  of  us, 
from  whom  we  could  purchase  a  good  saddle-horse, 
as  well  as  a  mule  to  take  the  place  of  the  animals  we 
had  lost. 

Mr.  Hitchcock  proved  to  be  a  very  pleasant,  intelli- 


THE   BIG   TKEES.  201 

gent  gentleman,  originally  from  New  England,  who 
had  been  a  resident  of  California  about  four  years, 
arid  was  the  owner  of  the  nearest  ranch  ;  and  after 
some  further  conversation  Sile,  the  boys,  and  myself 
decided  to  go  over  and  see  if  we  could  suit  ourselves 
from  his  herd.  While  riding  along,  I  chanced  to 
refer  to  the  size  of  the  pines  and  redwoods  that 
grew  so  abundantly  about  us,  when  Mr.  Hitchcock 
remarked,  that  he  had  just  returned  from  a  visit  to 
the  grove  of  big  trees,  situated  about  thirty  miles 
north  of  Sonora,  in  Calaveras  County. 

As  at  this  time  but  comparatively  few  persons  had 
visited  these  wonders  of  the  forest,  it  was  with  no 
small  degree  of  satisfaction  that  I  embraced  the 
opportunity  to  converse  with  one,  who  was  enabled 
to  describe  them  from  personal  observation. 

As  soon  as  the  boys  discovered  that  Mr.  Hitchcock 
had  himself  seen  the  grove,  they  rode  up  beside  us, 
manifesting  the  most  lively  interest  in  all  that  was 
said  concerning  it. 

"  There,"  said  Mr.  Hitchcock,  pointing  to  an  enor- 
mous redwood  at  some  little  distance,  "  that  is  the 
largest  tree  I  have  seen  in  this  section." 

"  How  tall  is  that  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  A  hundred  and  fifty  feet,"  was  the  answer. 

u  Are  the  trees  there,  much  larger  than  that  ?  " 
asked  Hal  in  a  quizzical  way. 

"  Yes  ;  many  of  them  are  quite  three  times  as 
tall,"  replied  Mr.  Hitchcock. 

"  Why,  that  would  be  four  hundred  and  fifty  feet," 
said  Hal. 


202  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

44  Did  you  ever  see  Bunker  Hill  Monument,  boys  ?  " 
inquired  Mr.  Hitchcock. 

44  Why,  of  course  we've  seen  it :  we're  from  Mas- 
sachusetts," said  Ned  with  some  pride. 

44  So  am  I,"  replied  Mr.  Hitchcock  ;  44  and,  being 
from  Massachusetts,  we  Yankees  will  look  at  the 
trees  with  Massachusetts  eyes.  Bunker  Hill  Monu- 
ment is  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet  high,  and  thirty 
feet  square  at  its  base,  if  I  remember  right.  Now,  if 
we  could  bring  that  monument  here,  we  could  easily 
conceal  it  in  the  hollow  of  one  of  the  trees  that  I 
saw,  and  its  top  would  not  reach  as  high  as  the  low- 
ermost branches." 

Upon  hearing  this  statement,  the  boys  looked  at 
one  another  in  evident  surprise  ;  but,  seeing  that 
neither  Sile  nor  myself  betrayed  any  signs  of  incre- 
dulity, wisely  kept  silence. 

44  How  old  do  you  suppose  the  trees  are  ?  "  inquired 
Ned. 

44  One  that  has  recently  been  felled,  had  just  been 
examined  by  a  scientific  gentleman,  whom  I  met  at 
the  grove,  who  estimated  the  age  of  the  fallen  mon- 
arch to  be  three  thousand  two  hundred  years,  at 
least." 

44  I'd  like  to  know  how  they  cut  it  down,"  said 
Hal. 

44  They  bored  it  down  with  long  augers ;  and  it 
took  four  men  twenty-five  days  to  fell  it,  and  they 
worked  hard  at  that,  cutting  it  six  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  ground." 


A  NEW   ENGLAND  HOME.  203 

"  What  was  its  diameter  at  that  point?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Twenty-five  feet  from  inside  of  the  bark  to 
inside.  I  measured  it  myself,"  was  the  reply  ;  "  and 
it  took  sixteen  good  days'  work,  to  smooth  off  the 
top  of  the  stump." 

"  Was  that  the  largest  one  in  the  grove  ?  "  asked 
Hal. 

"  No.  I  saw  several  that  were  over  four  hundred 
feet  high  ;  and  there  was  one  that  lay  on  the  ground 
and  was  hollow,  that  I  rode  this  ver}'  horse  through, 
for  more  than  sixty  feet,  without  being  able  to  touch 
the  top  with  my  hand." 

"  How  big  around,  I  mean,  what  was  the  circum- 
ference of  the  largest  you  saw  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  I  measured  several  that  were  over  a  hundred  and 
ten  feet,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Well,  those  are  the  biggest  trees  I  ever  heard 
of,"  remarked  Hal.  "  I  thought  Sile  must  be  '  yarn- 
ing '  when  he  told  me  about  three  of  'em  camping  in 
the  hollow  of  a  tree  ;  but  I  reckon  he  wasn't,  after 
all." 

"  I  saw  several  trees  in  the  grove,  that  could  boast 
of  a  more  commodious  room  than  can  be  found  in 
nine  out  of  ten  miners'  cabins  in  California,"  said 
Mr.  Hitchcock.  "  But  here  we  are  at  the  Pino  Alto1 
ranch,"  continued  he,  pointing  to  a  very  pretty  story- 
and-a-half  cottage,  painted  white,  with  green  blinds, 
and  a  broad,  comfortable  piazza  stretching  around 
it.  "  There  is  the  only  genuine  New  England  home 

i  Tall  Pine. 


204  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

in  this  section.  Let  me  bid  you  welcome  to  it. 
Come  up  to  the  house." 

I  looked  at  Sile,  who  shook  his  head  saying,  — 

"  I'm  obleeged  tew  you,  sir,  but  it's  bin  so  long 
sence  I've  seed  a  New  England  hum,  it  would  only 
make  me  sick ;  besides,  it's  gettin'  nigh  night,  and 
you  must  'cuse  me,  for  I  want  ter  go  and  look  at  the 
stock.  My  old  mother  used  tew  say,  '  Business  fust, 
and  pleasure  afterwards:  'so  I'll  see  the  critters,  and 
git  back  ter  camp." 

I  therefore  declined  Mr.  Hitchcock's  kind  invita- 
tion ;  and  we  rode  down  to  the  coral,  where  Sile 
soon  made  a  selection  of  a  couple  of  animals.  Hal, 
however,  protested  so  earnestly  against  Sile's  choice 
of  a  horse  for  him,  that  I  finally  told  him  to  select 
for  himself.  This  he  did,  choosing  a  clean-limbed, 
dark  bay  stallion,  which  Mr.  Hitchcock  told  me  was 
of  fine  blood,  but  not  thoroughly  broken. 

Sile  and  myself  both  endeavored  to  convince  Hal 
that  the  horse  was  unsuitable  for  his  use ;  but  he  in- 
sisted that  he  could  break  him  as  easily  as  any  per- 
son living,  declaring  his  willingness  "  to  risk  it,  in  any 
event,"  seeming  so  anxious  and  determined  to  have 
it,  that  I  finally  yielded,  and  purchased  the  animal, 
against  Sile's  judgment ;  he  assuring  us  "  that  the  boy 
would  hev  a  heap  er  trouble  with  the  critter,  afore 
he  got  threw  with  it." 

Having  completed  our  purchase,  Sile  rode  back 
to  camp  with  the  animals,  leaving  myself  and  the 
boys  to  a  pay  a  visit  to  the  family  of  Mr.  Hitchcock, 


HOW   HAL   BROKE   HIS   HORSE.  205 

which  consisted  of  his  wife  and  two  very  intelligent 
and  agreeable  young  ladies,  his  daughters. 

We  found  it  indeed  a  New  England  home,  in 
every  sense  of  the  word,  and  a  most  charming  one 
at  that.  After  partaking  of  a  bountiful  supper,  and 
spending  a  couple  of  hours  in  pleasant  conversation, 
we  reluctantly  took  our  departure  for  camp,  declin- 
ing their  pressing  invitation  to  spend  the  night  with 
them. 

As  we  rode  back,  I  could  not  avoid  calling  the 
attention  of  the  boys  to  the  contrast  between  the 
two  families  we  had  so  recently  visited,  as  show- 
ing the  results  of  early  training  and  education ; 
proving  plainty,  that  a  residence  upon  the  frontier 
need  not  of  necessity  be  devoid  of  refinement,  or 
culture. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  made  ready  for  the 
day's  journey.  Both  Sile  and  myself  felt  no  little 
curiosity  to  witness  Hal's  first  attempt  to  ride  his 
new  purchase.  We  had  expected  trouble,  nor  were 
we  disappointed. 

The  animal  quietly  submitted  to  being  saddled 
and  bridled  ;  but  when  Hal  placed  his  foot  in  the 
stirrup,  preparatory  to  mounting,  it  became  exceed- 
ingly restive  and  uneasy,  manifesting  its  impatience 
in  so  positive  a  manner  that  it  was  with  difficulty 
the  two  Mexicans,  who  were  holding  him  for  Hal  to 
mount,  could  retain  their  hold  of  the  bit. 

The  instant  the  horse  felt  Hal's  weight  upon  his 
back,  and  the  Mexicans  had  quit  their  hold  of  the 


206  CKOSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

bridle,  the  spirited  creature  gave  one  bound  into  the 
air,  and  then  firmly  planting  his  fore  feet  upon 
the  ground,  and  elevating  his  hind,  sent  Hal  in  an 
attempt  to  describe  the  parabola  of  a  circle,  causing 
him  to  alight  upon  his  back  on  the  earth,  at  least  ten 
feet  in  advance  of  his  horse ;  which  did  not  offer  to 
move,  but  stood  contemplating  its  would-be  rider, 
with  a  look  that  seemed  to  say,  "  I  thought  you  were 
on  my  back  a  second  since  :  I  wonder  how  you  got  so 
far  ahead  of  me,  so  suddenly." 

Hal  picked  himself  up  with  a  somewhat  surprised 
expression  upon  his  face,  remarking, — 

"  I  wasn't  quite  seated :  he  can't  do  it  again," 
proceeding  straight  to  the  animal's  side,  which  he 
once  more  prepared  to  mount. 

"  Hadn't  you  better  let  one  of  the  Mexicans  git 
on  and  ride  him  a  while,  afore  you  try  him  again  ?  " 
inquired  Sile. 

"  Do  you  suppose  a  Mexican  can  do  what  I  can't 
with  a  horse  ?  "  exclaimed  Hal.  "  No,  sir ;  I'm  going 
to  ride  this  horse,  and  nobody  else  shall  ever  back 
him  but  me.  I  wasn't  fairly  seated  before." 

"  Listen  to  reason :  let  some  one  who's  more  used 
to  breaking  horses  try  him  before  you  do.  It  will 
be  poor  satisfaction  if  he  breaks  your  neck,"  said  I. 

44 1  mean  to  try  him  again  anyhow :  I'll  risk  my 
neck,"  replied  the  boy. 

The  Mexicans  once  more  seized  the  bit,  while  Hal 
again  vaulted  into  the  saddle.  Evidently  convinced 
that  he  was  master  of  the  situation,  the  animal  stood 


PLUCK   AND   GRIT.  207 

perfectly  quiet,  as  though  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
Hal  ample  time  to  seat  himself  after  the  most  ap- 
proved style ;  and  then,  without  moving  from  his 
track,  he  again  sent  the  boy  flying  through  the  air. 

Hal  picked  himself  up,  cast  a  hurried  glance  about 
him  to  ascertain  if  his  mishaps  had  excited  our  ris- 
ibility, and,  seeing  that  we  regarded  the  scene  with 
sober  faces,  nothing  daunted  he  again  approached  the 
horse,  who  stood  as  quietly  as  a  thoroughbred,  wait- 
ing for  his  master  to  mount. 

Gathering  the  reins  firmly  in  his  left  hand,  Hal 
with  a  bound  once  more  sprang  upon  the  animal's 
back.  For  an  instant  the  creature  stood  as  still  as 
though  carved  out  of  stone  ;  then  with  distended 
nostrils,  flashing  eyes,  and  quivering  flanks,  he  ut- 
tered a  snort  of  rage,  and  with  a  tremendous  leap 
alighted  upon  the  earth  with  his  four  legs  stiffened, 
at  the  same  moment,  lowering  his  head  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  Hal,  in  spite  of  himself,  slid  gently  over  the 
creature's  neck  to  the  earth,  where  he  lay  for  a 
moment,  horse  and  rider  staring  each  other  in  the 
face,  and  presenting  such  a  comical  picture  that  we 
all  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh. 

This  seemed  to  arouse  all  the  lion  in  Hal's  nature. 
Springing  to  his  feet,  he  declared  that  he  would 
ride  the  beast,  anyhow.  Borrowing  a  huge  pair  of 
Spanish  spurs  from  one  of  the  Mexicans,  he  firmly 
adjusted  them  upon  his  feet,  and,  stripping  off  the 
saddle,  vaulted  upon  the  animal's  bare  back,  with 
such  a  look  of  determination  upon  his  face,  that  I 
could  not  avoid  saying  to  Sile,  — 


208  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Hal  will  certainly  break  that  fellow  before  he 
leaves  him." 

"  Somethin'll  break,  I  guess,  though  it's  as  likely 
to  be  the  boy's  neck  as  any  thing,"  said  Sile  in  reply. 

Again  the  creature,  snorting  with  rage,  gave  a 
fearful  bound ;  but  not  before  Hal  succeeded  in 
clasping  his  arms  tightly  about  the  animal's  neck, 
and  at  the  same  instant  thrusting  his  spurs  deep  into 
the  creature's  quivering  flanks  with  such  force  that 
he  started  violently  forward  as  though  for  the  pur- 
pose of  escaping  the  unexpected  and  hitherto  un- 
known instrument  of  torture  that  had  so  violently 
assailed  him. 

Recognizing  this  partial  triumph,  Hal  again  ap- 
plied his  spurs  so  vigorously,  that  in  sheer  desperation 
the  maddened  creature  shot  forward,  and  the  next 
instant  was  coursing  over  the  plain  at  a  rate  of  speed 
that  astonished  us  all. 

As  long  as  they  remained  in  sight,  we  could  see 
that  Hal  kept  plying  his  spurs  vigorously  ;  and  when 
at  last  they  disappeared,  Sile  turned  towards  me  with 
the  pithy  remark,  — 

"  He's  got  him,  sartin." 

Anxiously  we  waited  the  boy's  return  ;  and  when, 
a  couple  of  hours  later,  Hal  quietly  rode  the  panting 
animal  into  camp,  his  foam-flecked  sides,  quivering 
nostrils,  and  bloody  flanks,  told  us  that  he  had  at 
last  found  his  master ;  while  there  was  that  in  Hal's 
face,  which  plainly  said  that  the  boast,  uttered  in  a 
moment  of  anger,  had  proved  no  idle  one. 


CONGRATULATIONS.  209 

As  the  boy  dismounted,  Sile,  Ned,  and  myself 
hurried  toward  him,  and  warmly  congratulated  him 
upon  the  determination,  pluck,  and  skill  he  had 
shown  in  so  quickly  and  thoroughly  conquering  the 
noble  animal  which  now  so  loyally  acknowledged 
him  its  master ;  and  a  splendid  creature  he  proved  to 
be,  bearing  his  owner  in  after-years  safely  through 
many  scenes  of  hardship  and  danger,  and  proving 
one  of  the  most  trusty,  sagacious,  and  valuable  ani- 
mals I  have  ever  seen  upon  the  frontier. 

Although  we  had  been  ready  to  move  for  some 
time,  we  delayed  our  departure  a  little,  that  the  horse 
might  have  a  rest  after  his  severe  exercise,  watching 
with  no  little  curiosity  the  experiment  of  placing  the 
saddle  upon  his  back ;  but  the  animal's  will  had 
been  thoroughly  broken,  and  he  permitted  Hal  to 
mount,  and  then  ambled  along  beside  us,  as  quietly 
as  though  he  had  been  in  our  ranks  from  the  first. 

"  That  ere  critter's  goin'  tew  be  wuth  his  weight 
in  gold,  some  of  these  days,"  said  Sile,  addressing 
Hal. 

"  You  didn't  think  so  last  night,  and  wanted  me 
to  take  that  old  plug  of  a  thing  that  you  picked  out. 
Why,  I'd  just  as  soon  have  had  a  cow,"  replied  the 
boy. 

"  Wai,  yer  see,  you've  bragged  so  much  and  done 
so  little,  ever  sence  you  started,  that  I  had  no  idee 
you'd  try  ter  break  the  critter  in  yerself,  and  I  kind'er 
thought  some  one  else'd  hev  tew  do  the  ridin'  for 
yer,"  responded  Sile  with  great  deliberation. 


210  CKOSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Bragged  so  much !  "  repeated  Hal.  "  I  haven't 
bragged  at  all :  you're  the  one  that's  done  the  brag- 
ging, and  I've  done  the  work.  Who  killed  that 
cinnamon  bear,  I  should  like  to  know,  if  I  didn't, 
after  you  and  Ned  had  both  fired  at  and  missed  it  ?" 

"All  right,  sonny,"  said  Sile,  with  a  quiet  laugh. 
"  You've  done  a  good  thing  in  breakin'  in  that  hoss, 
and  yew  desarve  credit  for  it,  for  he  was  a  tough 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

i 

TAKE     A    TRAMP.  THE      LION    AND     THE     GRIZZLY. A 

TERRIFIC    FIGHT. IT    CONTINUES    ALL    THE    AFTERNOON. 

WE     TAKE    NO    NOTE    OF   TIME. DARKNESS.  —  WHAT 

SHALL   WE    DO? A   SLEEP   AND   A   TERRIBLE    AWAKING. 

"\TO  one  of  the  party  exhibited  more  pleasure  at 
-L*  Hal's  triumph  than  did  Ned,  who  we  thought 
would  never  tire  of  calling  attention  to  ifc  the  points  " 
of  Hal's  newly  acquired  prize. 

All  day  he  travelled  beside  us,  the  only  manifes- 
tation of  dislike  at  the  imposed  restraint,  showing 
itself  in  an  uneasy  champing  of  the  bit,  and  a  dispo- 
sition to  resent  the  too  close  approach  or  familiarity 
of  the  other  animals ;  in  all  other  respects  evincing, 
as  Sile  remarked,  "  an  idee  of  tendin'  strickly  to  biz- 
ness,"  that  promised  well  for  the  future. 

Our  trail,  which  for  some  time  past,  had  been 
growing  more  rocky  and  uneven,  now  entered  the 
heart  of  the  Coast  Range,  through  the  foot-hills  of 
which,  we  had  been  journe}'ing  for  several  days. 

The  deeper  we  penetrated,  the  more  completely 
were  we  surrounded  with  dense  forests  and  tower- 

211 


212  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

ing  rocks  that  hemmed  us  in  on  all  sides,  shutting 
out  the  bright  sunlight,  and  casting  a  gloom  over 
the  whole  party,  that  was  in  marked  contrast  to  its 
cheerfulness  in  the  early  part  of  the  day. 

About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  entered  a 
beautiful  little  valley,  containing  some  twenty  acres 
of  luxuriant  grass,  through  which  flowed  a  stream 
of  excellent,  clear,  cold  water.  It  was  so  lovely  a 
spot,  that  I  at  once  proposed  making  our  camp  here 
for  the  night ;  a  suggestion  that  Sile  received  with 
no  great  favor,  declaring  that  "  we  spent  two-thirds 
er  the  time  packin'  an'  onpackin',"  to  which  remark 
no  reply  was  made  ;  but  in  a  very  short  time  the  ani- 
mals were  unsaddled,  and  cropping  the  sweet  grass 
about  us  with  an  avidity  that  plainly  showed  they, 
at  least,  appreciated  the  fancy  that  induced  our 
early  halt. 

While  stretched  upon  my  blankets,  lazily  admiring 
the  symmetry  of  the  magnificent  oaks  that  here  and 
there  dotted  the  beautiful  verdant  lawn  about  us, 
I  heard  Ned  say,  — 

"  I'd  like  to  take  a  stroll  along  the  side  of  that 
hill  there,"  pointing  to  an  eminence  that  loftily 
towered  above  us,  covered  with  the  most  luxuriant 
verdure. 

Springing  to  my  feet,  I  shouted,  "A  good  idea, 
Ned :  we  have  plenty  of  time  to  do  it  before  night. 
I'll  go  with  you  as  soon  as  I  ascertain  if  our  fire-arms 
are  in  good  condition."  These  were  soon  freshly 
loaded ;  and,  with  our  rifles  on  our  shoulders,  we  set 
out  on  our  tramp. 


NED  AND  I  TAKE  A  TRAMP.  213 

"  Don't  git  lost,"  shouted  Sile. 

"  See  if  you  can  kill  a  cinnamon  bear  before  you 
come  back,"  cried  Hal. 

"  Or  drown  a  horse,"  retorted  Ned,  laughing. 

For  nearly  an  hour  we  travelled  through  the 
dense  forest,  without  seeing  any  game  save  a  few 
grouse  or  tufted  quail,  although  we  frequently  came 
upon  the  huge  tracks  of  a  grizzly  or  brown  bear, 
and  occasionally  saw  those  of  the  elk,  indicating  an 
abundance  of  game  in  the  country. 

"  It  would  be  sport  if  we  should  happen  to  come 
across  a  cinnamon  bear,  wouldn't  it  ?  "  said  Ned,  as 
we  stood  for  a  moment  looking  at  the  succession  of 
lofty  and  rugged  mountains  that  lay  before  us. 

"  There  might  not  be  much  sport  in  it,  and  I, 
for  one,  had  rather  not  meet  any  ;  but  it's  well 
enough  to  keep  eyes  and  ears  open,  lest  we  should 
stumble  upon  something  of  the  kind,"  was  my  reply. 

We  pursued  our  way  through  deep  ravines  and 
dense  thickets,  now  winding  along  the  side  of  a 
steep  hill,  here  picking  our  steps  carefully  upon  the 
verge  of  some  frightful  abyss,  to  again  emerge  into  a 
vast  grove  of  lofty  pines,  whose  tall  trunks,  entirely 
destitute  of  branches,  stretched  for  a  hundred  feet 
above  our  heads,  when  suddenly  Ned  said,  — 

"  Hark  !  what's  that  noise  ?  " 

We  both  listened  attentively  ;  for  a  moment  the 
silence  of  the  vast  solitude  was  broken  by  the  sweet 
notes  of  some  deep  wood-songster,  and  then  we  dis- 
tinctly heard  the  low,  deep,  angry  growl  of  some 


214  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

creature,  accompanied  by  a  sharp,  quick  cry,  as  of 
a  person  in  mortal  anguish. 

"  It's  over  this  way,"  said  Ned.  "  Come  on  till  we 
see  what  it  is." 

Carefully  we  made  our  way  in  the  direction  of  the 
sound,  every  faculty  on  the  alert,  every  sense  quick- 
ened. Shortly  we  came  to  a  huge,  sloping  rock, 
that  barred  our  path :  from  behind  this,  the  noise 
seemed  to  come. 

Slowly  and  with  difficulty  we  climbed  to  the  top, 
and  peered  over  into  the  ravine  below,  when  to  our 
amazement  we  saw  a  large  lion l  and  a  medium-sized 
grizzly  bear  engaged  in  deadly  combat  over  the 
carcass  of  a  deer.  It  was  a  terrible  sight,  —  those 
two  huge,  powerful  creatures,  biting,  scratching, 
tearing,  and  gouging  each  other  in  the  most  horrible 
manner. 

When  we  first  saw  them,  the  bear  held  his  enemy 
with  his  paws  tightly  clasped  about  the  fore-shoul- 
ders, while  the  lion's  teeth  were  firmly  fixed  in  the 
side  of  the  grizzly's  throat,  who  appeared  to  be 
endeavoring  to  crush  his  opponent  with  his  enor- 
mous fore-arms. 

While  it  was  evident  at  a  glance  that  the  bear, 
which  was  undermost,  was  the  stronger  of  the  two,  it 
was  equally  plain  that  the  lion  was  the  more  agile 
and  wary.  The  bear  occasionally  uttered  a  low, 
wheezy  growl,  but  whether  from  pain  or  rage  we 

1  Properly  the  puma,  but  more  commonly  known  in  the  country 
as  the  California  lion. 


THE  LION   AND   THE   GRIZZLY.  215 

could  not  tell ;  while  the  lion,  its  teeth  firmly  set, 
hung  to  the  bear's  throat,  with  a  tenacity  that  was 
wonderful  to  behold. 

After  many  desperate  but  fruitless  efforts,  the  bear 
succeeded  in  turning  its  adversary,  and  for  the  in- 
stant taking  the  uppermost  position,  which,  however, 
it  held  but  a  moment,  when  the  lion  again  recovered 
it,  and  the  two  began  rolling  over  and  over  upon  the 
ground,  snarling,  writhing,  kicking,  and  raising  such 
clouds  of  dust,  that  for  a  moment  they  were  com- 
pletely hidden  from  our  view. 

After  this  struggle ^vas  ended,  each,  as  if  by  mutual 
consent,  separated,  for  the  double  purpose  of  taking 
breath,  and  gaining  fresh  strength  for  another  en- 
counter. 

They  withdrew  a  few  paces,  laid  themselves  down 
upon  the  ground,  and  began  to  lick  their  wounds. 
This  continued  for  several  minutes.  The  lion  lay 
stretched  at  full  length,  evidently  resting,  its  tawny 
fur  streaked  with  blood,  and  showing  many  evidences 
of  the  desperate  encounter  in  which  it  had  taken 
part. 

Suddenly  its  large  eyes  began  to  restlessly  move 
in  its  small  head ;  its  ears  assumed  an  erect  position; 
its  long  red  tongue,  from  which  the  saliva  had  been 
falling  in  drops,  was  drawn  into  the  mouth ;  its  supple 
body  gracefully  undulated  with  a  movement  not  un- 
like that  of  a  cat  when  about  to  spring  upon  its  prey ; 
while  its  tail  angrily  lashed  the  ground,  from  side 
to  side. 


216  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  bear,  the  better  to  enable 
itself  to  reach  its  wounds,  had  slowly  risen  upon  its 
haunches,  the  blood  from  the  wound  in  its  neck 
trickling  in  a  little  stream  down  its  gray  flecked 
sides,  when,  with  a  quick,  sharp  cry,  the  lion  sprang 
towards  it. 

Uttering  a  deep,  angry  growl,  the  bear  raised  itself 
erect  upon  its  hind-legs,  and,  as  the  lion  reached  it, 
quicker  than  a  flash,  dealt  it  a  tremendous  blow  with 
one  of  its  enormous  paws,  that  sent  it  rolling  over 
and  over,  a  dozen  feet  away. 

It  was  a  critical  moment  for  the  bear;  the  blow 
had  been  bravely  dealt ;  and,  from  that  instant,  our 
sympathies  were  on  the  side  of  the  grizzly  monster. 

Forgetting  himself,  Ned,  on  the  impulse  of  the 
moment,  shouted  out, — 

"  Bully  for  you,  old  fellow ! " 

In  an  instant,  both  animals  came  to  their  feet,  and 
looked  sharply  about  them,  as  if  actuated  by  a  com- 
mon desire  to  detect  and  punish  the  intruders.  We 
quickly  withdrew  from  sight,  and,  after  the  lapse  of 
a  few  moments,  again  cautiously  returned  to  our 
post  of  observation. 

The  animals  had  resumed  the  relative  positions 
occupied  by  them,  previous  to  the  blow  dealt  by  the 
bear.  Each  appeared  to  be  closely  watching  the 
other,  although  ostensibly  engaged  in  licking  their 
wounds ;  nor  did  either  appear  anxious  to  renew  the 
fray. 

Soon  it  became  evident  from  the  movements  of  the 


A  TERRIFIC   FIGHT.  217 

lion,  that  it  was  preparing  for  another  spring.  The 
bear  saw  it,  and  uttered  a  low,  hoarse  growl  of  warn- 
ing, which  had  the  effect  of  causing  the  lion  to 
crouch  closer  to  the  earth,  and  gather  itself  for 
another  spring,  —  this  time  over  the  bear's  head; 
then,  wheeling  like  a  flash,  it  fastened  itself  upon 
the  animal's  back,  before  that  unwieldy  creature 
could  turn  and  properly  receive  it. 

And  now  ensued  another  desperate  struggle,  so 
fierce  and  terrible,  that  Ned  and  myself  fairly  held 
our  breath,  so  intense  was  the  interest  with  which 
we  watched  the  deadly  combat. 

Over  and  over  they  rolled,  growling,  snarling,  and 
biting,  now  enveloped  in  a  cloud  of  dust,  now  show- 
ing the  bear  uppermost,  and  the  next  moment  reveal- 
ing the  tawny  fur  of  the  lion  in  that  position. 

How  long  they  maintained  the  struggle,  I  have  no 
idea:  it  must  have  been  nearly  an  hour,  although  in 
our  excitement  it  seemed  scarcely  a  minute. 

Suddenly  it  became  evident  that  the  bear  had 
somehow  gained  a  decided  advantage :  for  the  lion, 
slowly  but  sullenly  withdrew  from  the  contest,  leav- 
ing the  bear,  who  manifested  not  the  slightest  dispo- 
sition to  renew  the  fight,  master  of  the  field ;  and, 
while  we  were  wondering  what  its  next  move  would 
be,  it  suddenly  disappeared  in  a  neighboring  thicket. 

Then,  and  not  till  then,  did  Ned  or  myself  draw  a 
long  breath  ;  and  it  was  with  a  feeling  of  very  great 
relief,  that  we  were  finally  able  to  withdraw  our 
gaze  from  the  sylvan  arena,  and  look  at  one  another. 


218  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

So  intense  had  been  our  interest  in  watching  the 
combat,  that  we  had  entirely  forgotten  two  very 
important  things  to  us,  —  first,  that  we  had  our 
rifles  with  us  ;  and,  second,  the  lapse  of  time. 

Now  that  the  struggle  had  ceased,  and  the  con- 
testants vanished,  we  suddenly  remembered  both; 
for  the  shades  of  evening  were  falling,  and  the  forest 
was  shrouded  in  a  deep  gloom  that  would  effectually 
prevent  our  returning  to  camp  that  night. 

"  What  shall  we  do  ?  "  asked  Ned,  looking  sharply 
at  me. 

"  There's  but  one  thing  to  do,  and  that  is  to  remain 
just  where  we  are  until  daylight ;  then  we  can  easily 
find  our  way  back  to  camp.  We  had  better  gather 
a  lot  of  dry  wood  and  brush,  before  it  gets  any  darker, 
so  that  we  can  keep  up  a  fire  to-night." 

"  But  the  woods  are  full  of  wild  beasts,"  suggested 
Ned. 

"They  are  always  afraid  of  fire :  it's  the  best  pro- 
tection we  could  possibly  have  against  these  fellows. 
Besides,  we  have  our  rifles  and  pistols,  a  fact  that  I 
had  entirely  forgotten  up  to  this  minute." 

"  So  had  I,"  returned  Ned.  "  I'm  glad  we  didn't 
think  of  'em  before  ;  for  we  should  have  been  tempted 
to  have  shot  those  fellows,  and  I  wouldn't  have  done 
it  for  any  thing." 

"Why  not?"  inquired  I,  picking  up  a  stick  of 
wood. 

"  You  wouldn't  have  done  it,  I  know,"  said  Ned. 
"  It  would  have  been  a  shame  to  have  shot  either  of 


A  FEARFUL  SITUATION?  219 

'em.  I  wouldn't  have  missed  that  sight  for  a  good 
deal.  Which  did  you  want  to  have  whip  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  am  some  like  the  boy  who  wanted  to 
know  '  who  beginned  the  fight '  before  he  expressed 
his  sympathies." 

"  Which  do  you  suppose  began  it  ? "  persisted 
Ned. 

"  I  suppose  the  bear  must  have  been  the  aggressor," 
said  I. 

"  Then  I'm  sorry  I  shouted  for  him.  I'd  a  great 
deal  rather  have  the  lion  whip.  Ain't  this  wood 
enough  ?  It's  getting  so  dark  we  can't  see  any  more." 

"  No :  there  isn't  half  enough.  We  must  gather 
a  big  pile  to  keep  a  fire  going  all  through  the  night." 

"Give  me  a  match,  and  let  me  light  it:  we  can 
see  better  then." 

I  handed  the  boy  a  match,  and  the  next  moment 
a  little  puff  of  bluish-white  smoke  curled  up  from 
the  pile  of  brush  collected,  which  soon  increased  in 
volume ;  and  then,  little  tongues  of  flame  began  to 
make  their  appearance,  which  in  a  few  moments  shot 
far  up  into  the  air,  crackling  and  sparkling,  and  burn- 
ing with  a  brightness  that  not  only  drove  away  the 
deep  gloom  of  the  forest,  but  the  depressing  effect 
which  the  murmuring  of  the  pines  always  has  upon 
the  sensitive  mind  of  a  boy.  It  lighted  up  our  sur- 
roundings, and  imparted  a  rosy  tint  to  the  cold  gray 
surface  of  the  rocks  about  us,  that  Ned  pronounced 
44  just  lovely." 

"  Well,  here  we  must  stay  until  morning,  Ned.     I 


220  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

wish  you  had  your  blankets.  You  lie  down  close 
beside  the  fire,  and  take  your  nap  while  I  watch  ;  then 
1*11  wake  you,  and  you  shall  keep  4  watch  and  ward ' 
for  awhile.  '  Turn  about  is  fair  play,'  you  know. 

"But  you  won't  wake  me  if  I  fall  asleep,  I'm 
afraid.  You  must  promise  me  that  you  will,  or  I 
won't  do  it." 

"Won't  I  wake  you?"  was  my  answer.  "You 
w-ait  and  see.  Do  you  think  I'm  anxious  to  sit  alone 
all  night  ?  Don't  fear  on  that  score." 

Thus  assured,  Ned  laid  himself  down  upon  a  bed 
prepared  of  pine-boughs,  and  in  a  very  few  minutes 
was  fast  asleep. 

I  piled  a  quantity  of  wood  upon  the  fire,  seated 
myself  in  a  comfortable  position  with  my  rifle  on  my 
lap,  and  my  back  to  the  rock,  and  began  thinking 
over  the  events  of  the  day,  —  Hal's  persistent  deter- 
mination to  ride  his  horse ;  our  camp  in  the  beauti- 
ful little  valley  ;  the  tramp  upon  the  hillside  ;  the 
savage  encounter  between  the  wild  beasts,  and  the 
forgetf ulness  it  engendered  in  both  Ned's  mind  and 
my  own ;  and  then,  my  thoughts  wandered  to  a  trip 
I  once  made  through  Sonora  and  Durango  in  Mexi- 
co ;  and,  while  thus  musing,  I  fell  asleep. 

How  long  I  slept,  I  do  not  to  this  day  know ;  but 
I  awoke  with  a  sudden  start  and  a  presentiment  of 
danger  near. 

The  fire  had  died  down,  and  the  few  smouldering 
embers  that  remained,  showed  just  enough  light  to 
enable  me  to  distinguish  Ned  sleeping  quietly  upon 


A  SLEEP  AND  A  TERRIBLE  AWAKING.       221 

his  piny  couch.  All  around  me  was  darkness :  the 
thick  dense  tops  of  the  pines  above  me,  prevented 
my  seeing  a  single  star;  and,  for  the  moment,  I  was 
at  a  loss  to  remember  my  exact  situation. 

I  soon  recovered  myself  sufficiently,  to  be  aware 
that  I  ought  to  rise  and  replenish  the  fire,  and  was 
about  to  do  so,  when  a  quick  sharp  sound  like  the 
snapping  of  a  dry  twig  arrested  my  attention. 

Holding  my  breath,  I  cast  my  eyes  in  the  direction 
from  whence  the  sound  came,  and  saw  what  I  sup- 
posed for  the  moment  to  be  two  coals  of  fire,  lying 
upon  the  hillside  beyond  me. 

I  gazed  at  them  for  an  instant,  in  a  dreamy,  half- 
conscious  way,  wondering  how  coals  from  our  fire 
could  have  got  so  far  above  it,  and  suddenly  became 
aware  of  the  fact,  that  there  were  not  two  coals  only, 
but  the  ground  about  me  seemed  fairly  alive  with 
them. 

I  opened  my  eyes  in  astonishment,  looked  again 
and  again,  and  at  each  look,  saw  that  their  number 
increased  until  there  seemed  to  be  millions  of  them. 
Was  I  dreaming  ?  What  could  it  mean  ?  I  asked 
myself  the  question  a  dozen  times,  seemingly  unable 
to  answer  it  satisfactorily. 

I  listened  for  some  sound  ;  but  nothing  save  th6 
night-wind  sighing  through  the  tree-tops  disturbed 
the  silence  that  oppressed  me  like  a  horrid  night- 
mare, paralyzing  my  senses,  and  rendering  me  alike 
incapable  of  thought  and  action. 

While  thus  looking,  I  fancied  that  these  coals  of 


222  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

fire  were  approaching  nearer  to  me  ;  then  came  the 
thought  of  fire-balls,  and  then,  that  they  were  the 
eyes  of  animals  glowering  at  me  —  hungry,  roving, 
restless,  glaring  eyes,  that  fascinated  me  to  that 
extent,  that  I  cared  not  to  end  the  spell  they  had 
wrought.  I  thought  not  of  the  rifle  that  lay  in  my 
lap,  thought  not  of  the  sleeping  boy  near  me,  thought 
not  even  of  saving  our  lives ;  but  contented  myself 
with  wondering  if  they  were  the  eyes  of  lions,  pan- 
thers, bears,  ocelots,  or  fiends  ;  wondering  if  it  would 
be  an  easy  death  to  be  torn  limb  from  limb,  and 
devoured  by  wild  beasts  ;  and  then,  wondering  how 
long  it  would  be  before  they  would  spring  upon  me. 

Suddenly  Ned  called  out  in  his  sleep,  "  Sile  !  "  the 
spell  was  broken  in  an  instant.  Like  a  flash  I  rec- 
ognized all  the  horror  of  my  situation,  saw  our  dan- 
ger, knew  that  we  were  surrounded  by  wild  beasts, 
and  that  nothing  but  instant  action  would  save  us. 

Quickly  drawing  my  revolver,  I  placed  it  in  my 
lap  :  then  raising  and  cocking  my  rifle,  I  spoke  in  an 
ordinary  tone  to  Ned,  who  instantly  awoke  and  sat 
upright. 

"  Throw  some  of  that  wood  by  your  side  upon  the 
fire,"  said  I. 

The  boy  did  so  :  the  next  moment  a  dry  twig 
caught,  and  a  bright  flame  shot  up,  lighting  with  a 
lurid  light  our  surroundings  for  an  instant ;  then, 
dying  down,  left  it  darker  than  before. 

Speaking  in  as  unconcerned  a  tone  as  possible,  I 
said,  "  We  are  surrounded  by  wild  animals,  Ned : 
take  your  rifle,  and  come  close  beside  me." 


AT  LAST.  223 

The  boy  instantly  obeyed  ;  when,  as  if  to  give 
particular  unction  to  my  words,  the  terrible  silence 
that  had  so  long  oppressed  me  was  broken  by  the 
quick,  snarling  howl  of  a  wolf,  seemingly  at  my  very 
elbow. 

It  came,  not  unexpectedly,  but  so  suddenly  that 
for  an  instant  I  was  startled  ;  my  heart  almost  ceased 
to  beat,  and  I  felt  my  hair  fairly  rise  on  end,  as  the 
terrible  sound  fell  upon  my  ear :  the  next  moment 
it  was  answered  by  a  hundred  snarling,  blood-cur- 
dling barks,  apparently  from  all  portions  of  the  forest 
about  us. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

WOLVES.  WHAT  WE  DID. OUR    FIRE    GONE. OUR   LAST 

RESOURCE. NED    DOES    HIS    SHARE. A  VERY  UNPLEAS- 
ANT   SITUATION.  A   CONCERT.  DAYLIGHT.  —  I    RISK   A 

SHOT. ITS  EFFECT.  WE  START    FOR  CAMP.  A  RIFLE- 
SHOT.   WHAT  IT  SAID.  SILE.  CAMP  AT  LAST. 

ET  your  cocked  rifle  carefully  against  the 
rock,"  said  I,  giving  Ned's  hand  a  warm  press- 
ure for  the  purpose  of  re-assuring  him.  "  Keep  your 
revolver  also  cocked  in  your  left  hand,  and  when  you 
see  me  grasp  one  of  those  blazing  brands,  and  advance 
suddenly  towards  the  hillside,  follow  my  example. 
Handle  your  revolver  carefully.  Don't  fire  unless 
you  are  obliged  to,  and,  whatever  you  do,  don't 
shoot  me.  Remember  that  our  whole  salvation 
depends  upon  keeping  that  rock  at  our  backs  and 
that  fire  burning  until  daylight,  —  two  things  that 
must  be  done  at  all  hazards." 

"  I  understand  it,  and  will  do  my  share,  you  bet," 
exclaimed  Ned.  "  There's  some  excitement  about 
this  :  it's  jolly.  Don't  those  fellows  howl  though  ! 
They  keep  up  a  regular  concert." 

"  When  we  start,  Ned,"  said  I,  "  seize  a  brand, 

224 


A  LAST   RESORT.  225 

wave  it  above  your  head  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
it  in  a  flame,  and  rush  to  the  right.  I'll  go  to  the 
left;  but  in  no  case  go  so  far  as  to  enable  one  of 
those  fellows  to  slip  in  between  you  and  the  rock. 
When  I  count  three,  we'll  make  the  sally."  ^. 

During  the  whole  of  this  time,  the  wolves  were 
keeping  up  the  most  infernal  din  ;  chattering,  bark- 
ing, snarling,  and  yelping,  until  it  was  with  the  great- 
est difficulty  only,  that  I  could  hear  myself  speak ; 
being  obliged  to  fairly  shout  my  instructions  into 
Ned's  ear. 

Of  one  thing,  however,  I  was  certain  :  if  he  under- 
stood them,  I  could  depend  upon  his  obeying  them 
to  the  letter,  and,  in  that  case,  felt  perfect  confidence 
in  being  able  to  maintain  our  position  until  morning, 
which  I  supposed,  must  be  near  at  hand.  Had  I 
known  then,  the  long,  weary,  anxious  hours  that 
must  intervene  ere  daylight  should  come,  I  could 
hardly  have  regarded  the  situation  as  cheerfully  as 
I  did  at  the  time. 

As  soon  as  the  brands  were  well  on  fire,  Ned  and 
myself  each  seized  one,  and  started  with  a  rush 
towards  the  foe.  As  I  had  expected,  they  retreated 
before  us ;  but  upon  our  return  followed,  until  it 
seemed  to  me,  they  approached  nearer  to  our  posi- 
tion than  before.  I  did  not  mention  my  fears  to 
Ned,  but  proceeded  to  pile  more  fuel  upon  the  fire  ; 
and  in  doing  so,  discovered,  to  my  horror,  that  our 
supply  was  nearly  exhausted,  and  this  fact  filled  me 
with  an  indescribable  dread.  I  knew  that  when 


226  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

that  was  gone,  if  some  other  plan  of  safety  were  not 
devised,  all  was  lost ;  for  it  was  impossible  to  gather 
a  fresh  quantity  of  fuel,  with  a  pack  of  gaunt,  hun- 
gry wolves  surrounding  us. 

I  did  not  dare  speak  of  this  new  trouble  to  Ned, 
lest  the  boy,  who  was  doing  bravely,  should  become 
disheartened  and  discouraged  ;  and  I  knew  that  as 
long  as  we  could  keep  the  fire  burning  in  front  of  us, 
and  the  rock  at  our  backs,  we  were  safe.  For  some 
time  we  occupied  this  position,  without  experiencing 
any  particular  fear  of  molestation  ;  using  the  fuel 
meanwhile  as  sparingly  as  possible. 

Occasionally  we  would  sally  out  with  a  blazing 
brand  ;  the  wolves  would  again  retreat  before  us, 
and  upon  our  return,  again  advance,;  all  the  while 
uttering  their  sharp,  shrill  cries  in  concert,  until  our 
ears  fairly  ached  with  the  horrible  din. 

Our  pile  of  fuel  was  fast  dwindling  down :  but  a 
few  sticks  remained.  Something  must  be  done  ere 
long,  some  means  devised,  to  avert  the  terrible  fate 
that  stared  us  so  inevitably  in  the  face. 

How  long  before  morning  ?  I  asked  myself  the 
question  many  times  over.  The  deep  gloom  that 
shrouded  the  dense  forest  about  us  could  vouchsafe 
me  no  reply.  What  should  we  do  ?  Again  and 
again  I  turned  my  eyes  towards  the  tall  stems  of  the 
stately  pines  around  us,  but  they  offered  no  solution ; 
for  to  climb  one,  was  impossible. 

"  Well,  Ned,  we'll  give  'em  another  charge ;  what 
say  you  ?  "  shouted  I,  in  as  cheerful  a  tone  as  I  could 
command. 


DESPERATION  227 

"  I'm  ready,"  screamed  the  boy  in  return. 

"You  take  the  left  this  time,  and  I'll  go  to  the 
right;  it'll  be  a  little  change  for  us,"  shouted  I, 
forcing  a  laugh. 

"  It  would  be  more  of  one  if  they'd  stop  their 
howling,  and  clear  out  and  leave  us  alone,"  answered 
the  boy,  with  a  smile ;  "  but  here  goes,  come  on." 

Whereupon  we  each  seized  one  of  the  brands,  and 
again  made  a  sortie ;  as  usual,  the  wolves  retreated 
as  we  advanced,  but  upon  our  return  followed  even 
nearer  to  the  dying  embers  of  our  fire  than  they  had 
ever  done  before. 

I  felt  that  the  crisis  was  fast  approaching;  but, 
with  as  brave  a  heart  as  possible,  piled  the  last  of 
the  wood  upon  the  bed  of  coals ;  this  consumed, 
what  then? 

The  dry  sticks  quickly  caught,  and  blazed  up  with 
an  unusually  bright  glare,  illuminating  the  huge 
trunks  of  the  tall  pines  about  us,  bringing  into  bold 
relief  the  cold  gray  surface  of  the  rocks,  and  reveal- 
ing, at  the  distance  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet  in  front 
of  the  fire,  the  broad  spreading  branches  of  an  iron- 
wood  tree,  apparently  not  more  than  eight  or  ten 
feet  from  the  ground. 

To  see  was  to  instantly  act.  Turning  towards 
Ned,  I  shouted  as  unconcernedly  as  possible,  "  You 
see  that  ironwood  in  front  of  us,  don't  you  ?  Well, 
take  your  rifle,  and  come  with  me." 

Taking  one  of  the  blazing  sticks  from  the  fire  in 
my  hand,  and  swinging  it  before  me,  I  walked 


228  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

towards  the  tree  ;  and  found,  with  no  little  satisfac- 
tion, that  the  trunk  was  smooth,  and  the  lower 
branches  at  least  eight  feet  from  the  ground. 

"  Get  up  into  this  tree,  and  climb  as  high  as  you 
can,  Ned,"  said  I. 

Without  a  question  the  boy  obeyed. 

"  Now  take  my  rifle,  carefully,"  said  I,  handing  it 
to  him  with  one  hand,  while  with  the  other  I  kept 
the  brand  in  motion. 

Then  I  turned ;  the  wolves,  as  though  enraged  at 
our  temerity  in  venturing  so  far  beyond  the  dying 
embers  of  our  fire,  now  approached  within  a  very 
few  feet  of  the  tree.  I  could  even  distinguish  their 
long,  gaunt,  gray  forms,  revealed,  it  seemed  to  me, 
by  the  fire  from  their  hungry  eyes,  that  glared  so 
terribly  at  me  through  the  almost  Stygian  darkness ; 
and  I  even  fancied  that  I  could  see  their  open  mouths, 
lolling  tongues,  and  gleaming  white  teeth,  as  they 
angrily  snapped  their  jaws  together,  in  anticipation 
of  the  feast  they  soon  expected  to  enjoy. 

They  were  getting  too  bold  for  comfort ;  but  I 
knew,  if  I  killed  one,  the  smell  of  the  fresh  blood 
would  so  madden  the  rest,  that  the  terrors  of  the 
fire-brand  would  no  longer  restrain  their  impatience. 

Once  more  I  vigorously  swung  the  brand,  while  I 
seized  a  limb  of  the  tree  with  my  left  hand,  and, 
gathering  all  my  strength  for  the  effort,  hurled  the 
blazing  stick  into  the  midst  of  the  howling  pack,  and 
drew  myself  up  among  the  branches  of  the  tree  as 
quickly  as  possible. 


A  CONCERT.  229 

The  next  instant  they  were  upon  us.  I  drew  my 
feet  up  beneath  me,  and  closely  watched  the  fiery 
eyes  that  swarmed  below  ;  for  it  was  now  too  dark 
to  distinguish  any  thing  else. 

After  a  few  moments  of  terrible  suspense,  I 
became  satisfied  that  they  could  not  reach  our  posi- 
tion ;  and  then,  for  the  first  time,  I  completely  gave 
way. 

I  soon  rallied,  however ;  for  the  savage  creatures 
appeared  to  realize  that  we  had  escaped  their  fury, 
and  gathered  in  countless  numbers  beneath  the  little 
tree  (whose  trunk  was  scarce  five  inches  in  diam- 
eter), hurling  themselves  against  it  with  such  force 
that  it  fairly  shook  from  their  terrible  onslaught ; 
during  which,  they  continued  snarling,  barking, 
howling,  and  yelping,  until  it  seemed  to  me  that 
Bedlam  had  fairly  broken  loose. 

Occasionally  one  or  two  of  this  number,  larger  or 
more  vigorous  than  the  rest,  would  leap  almost  up  to 
our  resting-place  ;  and  we  could  distinctly  hear  their 
jaws  snap  together,  as,  foiled  in  their  purpose,  they 
fell  back  among  the  howling  pack,  realizing  the  ina- 
bility of  their  efforts  to  reach  us. 

So  terrific  was  the  horrible  noise  they  made,  we 
found  it  impossible  to  hear  ourselves  speak  even, 
much  less  converse  together ;  consequently  were 
forced  to  pass  the  long  time  until  day,  without  com- 
municating in  any  manner  with  one  another. 

Thus  passed  the  weary  hours  of  that  terrible 
night,  which  seemed  to  me  like  an  eternity  spent  in 


230  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

the  society  of  the  damned ;  nor  can  I,  even  at  this 
late  day,  recall  it  without  shuddering :  it  was  too 
frightful  for  description. 

Daybreak  came  at  last,  however ;  and  as  the  light 
gradually  penetrated  the  gloom,  and  found  its  way 
into  the  depths  of  the  vast  forest,  our  assailants  one 
after  another  stole  away  ;  their  gaunt,  gray  forms 
disappearing  from  our  view,  until  finally,  when  the 
last  one  seated  himself  upon  his  haunches,  at  what 
he  thought  was  a  safe  distance,  and  elevated  his 
sharp  nose  into  the  air  to  give  us  a  parting  howl,  I 
could  not  resist  the  inclination  to  bring  my  rifle  to 
my  face,  and  give  him  the  contents,  even  though  it 
should  bring  the  hungry  pack  back  upon  us. 

He  fell  over  upon  his  side,  and  after  a  few  convul- 
sive struggles  was  still  in  death. 

u Thank  God  it's  over!  it's  been  a  tough  night  for 
us,  Ned,"  said  I,  for  the  first  time  addressing  the 
boy  since  daylight. 

"  The  toughest  one  I  ever  saw ;  it  was  just  terrible, 
and  I'm  fairly  deaf  from  the  horrible  noise  they 
made :  my  legs  are  all  knotted  up,  and  I'm  almost 
starved,  to  say  nothing  of  being  completely  chilled 
with  the  cold,"  was  the  reply. 

44  Never  mind  it  now,  it's  all  over,  and  I  reckon  we 
may  as  well  make  a  run  for  the  camp  :  we'll  be  there 
in  time  for  breakfast,"  •  said  I,  dropping  to  the 
ground. 

Ned  followed  suit ;  and,  as  soon  as  we  could  stand, 
we  took  up  our  line  of  march  for  camp. 


WE   START   FOR   CAMP.  231 

"  Well,  Ned,  we've  had  such  an  experience  during 
the  last  twenty-four  hours,  as  we  little  anticipated 
when  we  left  camp,"  remarked  I,  as  we  walked  along. 

"  Yes,  and  it  came  near  being  a  dreadful  one  too," 
replied  the  boy. 

"  I  must  say  that  I  feel  more  comfortable  than  I 
did  last  night  at  this  time,  and  am  glad  we  are  safe 
and  sound  and  but  a  short  distance  from  camp," 
said  I. 

"  That  may  be  true  ;  but  we  don't  know  exactly 
where  to  find  it,  do  we?  "  asked  the  boy  in  a  tone 
of  inquiry,  watching  my  face  very  narrowly  in  the 
mean  time. 

"  Why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  I  shall  take  you  to 
camp  as  straight  as  the  face  of  the  country  will 
admit,"  said  I,  with  a  tone  and  manner  calculated 
to  inspire  the  boy  with  confidence  in  my  ability  to 
do  as  I  said  ;  adding,  "You  can't  lose  me  if  you 
try." 

"  I  wonder  what  Sile  and  Hal  think  of  our 
absence,"  queried  Ned,  after  a  short  silence. 

"  Sile  thinks  that  I'm  able  to  take  care  of  you  as 
well  as  myself ;  and  Hal  thinks,  that  if  we  had  a  little 
of  his  experience,  we  should  be  a  great  deal  better 
off,"  said  I,  laughing.  "  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  they 
were  out  hunting  us  though,  this  morning." 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Ned.  "  I  think  you,  ought  now,  to 
be  able  to  appreciate  Hal's  and  my  situation  when  we 
were  treed  by  the  wild  hogs  on  our  trip  through 
Texas.  I  believe,  after  all,  though,  I  was  more  scared 
then,  than  I  was  last  night." 


232  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  I  fancy  I  can  imagine  your  feelings  rather  better 
this  morning,  than  I  could  yesterday,"  remarked  I. 

At  this  moment  the  crack  of  a  rifle  came  faintly 
up  from  the  valley  below  us.  Never  was  sound 
more  welcome.  Waiting  a  few  moments,  I  answered 
it  by  discharging  my  own,  and  then  listened  for  the 
reply. 

It  came  presently,  bounding  up  the  mountain-side, 
echoing  and  reverberating  among  the  crags  and 
peaks,  until  it  was  lost  in  the  vast  forest  above  us. 

"  Answer  again,  Ned,"  said  I,  my  heart  so  full  of 
thankfulness  I  could  scarcely  speak  ;  and  answer  he 
did ;  and,  as  the  last  reverberation  died  away  in  the 
distance,  I  turned  towards  the  boy,  and  said,  — 

"  There,  Ned,  that  spoke  louder  than  words,  say- 
ing, '  Camp  and  friends,  and  a  good  breakfast,  and 
sleep.'  " 

In  less  than  half  an  hour  we  heard  Sile's  voice  be- 
low us,  saying,  — 

"  Give  'em  one  with  that  old  escopeta  l  of  yourn, 
Juan  :  that'll  wake  the  echoes." 

I  instantly  replied,  — 

"  Don't  trouble  yourself,  Sile :  I'd  much  rather 
Juan  would  give  us  some  breakfast." 

"  Hurrah  !  "  shouted  Sile,  "  there  they  be,  hungry 
's  ever.  Hurry  down  and  get  breakfast  ready  for 
'em,  Juan." 

The  next  moment  we  stood  face  to  face. 

"  Wai,  squire,"  said  Sile,  grasping  my  hand  with  a 

l  An  old-fashioned  bell-mouthed  Spanish  nmsket. 


CAMP  AT   LAST.  233 

warmth  that  plainly  betokened  his  joy  at  seeing  us, 
"  I  come  nigher  bein'  scart  about  you  when  it  got 
dark  last  night,  and  you  didn't  come  in,  than  I  ever 
will  be  again,  you  bet.  I  might  V  knowed  yer  was 
all  right.  —  And  the  youngster,"  addressing  Ned, 
"How  are  you?  lookin'  a  leetle  holler,  hey?  Wai, 
you'll  be  all  right  arter  yer  get  five  or  six  pounds  er 
venison-steak  tucked  under  yer  jacket." 

"  Where's  Hal,  Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"Out  huntin'  yew.  He's  bin  awfully  worried 
ever  sence  yer  didn't  come  in  tew  supper  last  night, 
ter  think  he  didn't  go  with  yer,  so's  yer  could  'a'  had 
the  benefit  of  his  'sperience  'mongst  the  Taches," 
answered  Sile  with  a  laugh. 

"  We've  had  something  of  an  experience  of  our 
own  since  we  left  you  last  evening,  which  you  may 
be  able  to  induce  Ned  to  relate,  after  he  has  had  his 
breakfast ;  but  here  we  are  in  camp  once  more,"  said 
I,  as  we  emerged  from  the  dark  forest  into  the  beau- 
tiful little  valley  which  had  so  pleased  my  fancy  the 
day  previous. 

"  Poko  tiempo,  sefwr" l  said  Juan,  as  we  passed 
by  the  spot  where  he  was  busily  engaged  in  cooking 
our  breakfast. 

"  All  right,  Juan :  first  a  bath  and  then  breakfast, 
you  know." 

"Esta  bueno,  senor"  2  was  the  reply. 

1  In  a  little  while,  sir.  2  Very  good,  sir. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

CONGRATULATIONS. A  VISIT  TO  THE  SCENE  OF  OUR  ADVEN- 
TURE.   WHAT  WE  FOUND. MORE  GAME. WE  RETURN 

TO  CAMP. ON  THE  ROAD. ARRIVAL  AT  NEW  ALMADEN. 

WHAT    WE    SAW. —  VISIT    TO     THE    FURNACES.  HOW 

THE  ORE  IS  TREATED.  SOMETHING  ABOUT  QUICKSILVER. 

WHILE  we  were  eating  breakfast,  Hal  returned. 
His  face  became  wonderfully  bright  as  lie 
caught  sight  of  us ;  and,  on  coming  up,  he  ex- 
claimed, — 

"  I  declare,  I'm  glad  to  see  you,  for  I  was  terribly 
afraid  you  were  lost.  I  went  up  the  hill  a  little  way 
myself,  and  it  was  as  much  as  I  could  do  to  find  my 
way  back  to  camp.  I  was  afraid  you'd  get  lost  when 
you  started  out  yesterday." 

"  Hold  on  a  minute,  Hal,"  said  I,  with  my  mouth 
full  of  venison-steak,  and  with  difficulty  making 
myself  understood.  "  You're  entirely  wrong  in  your 
premises.  Neither  Ned  nor  myself  has  been  lost 
for  a  single  minute,  since  we  left  you  here  yesterday 
afternoon." 

"  Not  lost !  "  repeated  the  boy  in  tones  of  aston- 

234 


EXPLANATIONS.  235 

ishment.     "  Why,  what  on  earth  made  you  stop  out 
all  night,  if  you  were  not  lost  ?  " 

"  That's  just  the  question,  Hal.  Why  did  we  stop 
out  all  night  ?  " 

"I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  replied  the  boy.  "I 
thought  you  must  be  lost." 

"  Well,  Hal,  Ned  will  explain  the  reason,  after  he 
has  finished  his  breakfast,"  said  I. 

This,  as  I  expected,  aroused  the  boy's  curiosity  to 
that  extent,  that  it  was  really  amusing  to  witness  the 
many  attempts  made  to  draw  us  out,  before  finishing 
our  meal. 

Nothing  was  gained,  however ;  and  after  Sile  came 
up,  we  threw  ourselves  down  beneath  the  shade  of  a 
splendid  oak,  while  Ned  narrated  the  substance  of 
the  story  given  above  ;  ending  with,  — 

"  Now,  Sile,  which  do  you  suppose  began  that 
fight,  the  lion  or  the  bear  ?  " 

44  The  bar,  of  course,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  guess  the 
lion  ketched  the  deer,  'cause  grizzlies  ain't  spry 
enuff  tew  do  it,  as  a  gen'ral  thing  ;  but  he  diskivered 
the  lion  eatin'  of  it,  and  tried  tew  drive  it  off:  the 
lion  wouldn't  be  druv,  and  that's  what  started  'em 
at  it.  I'd  'a'  give  a  good  deal  tew  'a'  seen  that 
scrimmage,  squire." 

"  It  certainly  was  a  sight  well  worth  seeing,  Sile : 
I  really  had  no  idea  what  ferocity  meant  until  I  saw 
those  beasts  engaged  in  combat." 

44  Didn't  that  grizzly  make  you  think  of  the  cinna- 
mon bear  I  killed  the  other  day?"  queried  Hal. 
44  He  was  a  pretty  ferocious  sort  of  a  fellow." 


236  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  but  he  did,  Hal,  now  you 
remind  me  of  it.  I  declare,  I  had  forgotten  all  about 
the  cinnamon.  I'm  going  to  spread  my  blankets, 
and  nap  it  a  couple  of  hours ;  and,  Ned,  you  had 
better  do  the  same.  Don't  let  any  one  disturb  us, 
Sile ;  and  after  I  wake,  I'd  like  to  take  a  train p  up 
and  visit  the  scene  of  our  last  night's  adventure. 
I  have  a  fancy  that  we  shall  find  the  remains  of  one 
of  those  animals  near  by ;  and  I  predict  it  will  be 
the  bear.  What  say  you  ?  " 

"  Like  as  not ;  but  bein'  as  I  didn't  see  the  scrim- 
mage, I  can't  judge.  I  s'pose  you  ain't  thinkin'  of 
leavin'  here  ter-day,  be  yer  ?  " 

"  We've  only  one  more  day's  ride  before  reaching 
the  mines,  have  we,  Sile  ?  " 

"  Thet's  all,  and  a  short  one  at  that;  we  ought 
tew  git  in  by  three  o'clock  ter-morrow  arternoon." 

"  Then  we  won't  leave   here    until   morning"-:    so 

O 

govern  yourselves  accordingly.  And  now  for  a 
snooze.  Where's  Ned  ?  " 

"  Ned  was  asleep  some  time  ago,"  answered  Hal. 
"  Can  I  go  with  you  and  Sile  when  you  go  up  the 
mountain  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  if  you  wish  to,  and  Sile  has  no  objec- 
tion." 

With  this  promise  Hal  took  his  departure,  and  I 
my  nap.  When  I  awoke,  three  hours  later,  the  sun 
was  in  the  zenith :  Ned  was  lying  near  me,  sound 
asleep ;  Hal  and  Sile  were  lolling  beneath  the  shade 
of  a  neighboring  oak,  waiting  for  me  to  awake ;  the 


OUR   EXPLORATION.  237 

Mexicans  were  cooking  their  dinner,  and  the  animals 
peacefully  feeding  in  the  meadow  about  us,  the 
emerald  green  of  which,  furnished  a  strong  contrast 
to  the  darker  verdure  of  the  dense  forest  that  sur- 
rounded us  upon  all  sides. 

I  lay  for  a  few  minutes  gazing  at  the  quiet  beauty 
of  the  scene  spread  out  before  me,  and  then,  rousing 
myself,  called,  "  Sile  !  "  He  instantly  came  towards 
me,  followed  by  Hal. 

"  Are  you  ready  for  a  start?  "  asked  I. 

"  All  ready,  squire.  We'll  hev  a  little  grub  fust, 
and  then  travel ;  it's  bad  bizness  trampin'  on  a 
empty  stomick  on  the  frontier,  for  ye're  likely  tew 
git  ketched  out  over  night  ena'most  any  time  — 
'specially  if  yer  ain't  'spectin'  tew." 

Half  an  hour  later,  I  was  again  toiling  up  the  steep 
hillside,  and  picking  my  way  through  deep  ravines, 
or  along  the  edge  of  some  steep  precipice,  or  push- 
ing through  a  dense  thicket,  over  the  path  I 
travelled  the  day  previous,  until  at  last  we  stood  in 
the  same  grove  of  lofty  pines  that  silently  witnessed 
our  adventures  of  the  night. 

"  Here  we  are,  Sile  ;  here's  the  little  ironwood,  and 
that's  the  rock  from  which  we  witnessed  the  battle." 

"Yes;  and  here's  the  wolf  that  you  shot:  noth- 
ing's touched  him,"  interrupted  Hal. 

"  It's  a  putty  place  ;  but  let's  get  down  inter  that 
ravine,"  said  Sile.  "  I  guess  I've  got  about  as  much 
currosity  as  any  Yankee  you  ever  seed,  if  I  have  bin 
away  from  Maine  risin'  of  fifteen  year." 


238  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

We  were  soon  at  the  bottom  of  the  gorge  ;  and  in 
a  very  few  minutes  Sile  discovered  bloody  tracks, 
which  we  followed  for  some  distance  towards  a 
dense  thicket  of  juniper.  As  we  rather  carelessly 
approached  the  spot,  there  suddenly  issued  from  out 
the  cluster,  a  low,  deep,  menacing  growl. 

"  Thunder !  the  critter's  in  thar,  and  'live  tew,  as 
sartin'  as  you're  born.  We  must  be  mighty  keerful ; 
'cause  if  he's  wounded,  he'll  be  as  ugly  as  Satan." 

"  If  it's  the  same  old  fellow  I  saw  yesterday,  Sile, 
I  believe  I'd  rather  go  back  to  that  rock,  and  shoot 
from  there,"  said  I,  by  way  of  a  joke.  "  But  who's 
going  to  poke  him  out?  we  ought  to  have  a  dog." 

"  P  Yaps  Hal'll  play  dog,  and  drive  him  out  for 
us,"  suggested  Sile,  with  a  roguish  look  about  the 
eye ;  adding,  "  He's  the  smallest  of  the  three." 

"I  didn't  come  here  to  be  insulted,  Sile  Carter; 
if  you  want  the  bear  got  out,  get  him  out  yourself. 
After  your  remark,  I  shall  render  you  no  assistance, 
but  go  immediately  back  to  camp  ;  "  and  Hal  turned 
from  us  with  all  the  dignity  imaginable. 

"Come,  Hal,  this  won't  do,"  said  I ;  "if  you're 
afraid  of  the  bear,  say  so,  and  clear  out ;  but  don't 
pretend  it's  because  you've  been  insulted." 

"  I'm  afraid  of  no  bear,"  said  Hal.  "  My  courage 
has  been  tested.  I  shot  that  cinnamon  bear  the 
other  " — 

"  Git  out  er  the  way ;  here  he  comes  !  "  shouted 
Sile. 

And  sure  enough,  he  was  coming.     The  junipers 


A   SUKPBISE.  239 

were  as  violently  agitated  as  though  a  gale  of  wind 
was  sweeping  through  them ;  and  the  next  moment 
there  rushed  out,  not  a  dying  grizzly  or  a  wounded 
lion,  as  we  expected,  but  a  large,  active,  ugly  black 
bear,  apparently  about  as  mad  as  he  could  be  at 
being  disturbed  from  his  lair. 

He  came  boldly  out  with  a  rush,  paused  for  a 
moment  as  if  to  estimate  the  strength  of  the  foe  ; 
and,  as  he  did  so,  we  all  fired.  He  took  a  step  for- 
ward, uttered  a  low  growl,  partly  raised  himself 
upon  his  haunches,  and  then  fell  over  upon  his  side, 
dead. 

As  we  approached  the  spot  where  he  lay,  Sile 
said,  — 

44  It's  well  enuff  tew  be  kinder  keerful :  thar 
might  be  'nother  of  'em  in  thar ;  but  them  black 
bars  ain't  much  'count,  nohow.  This  'ere  skin's 
good;  fur's  fust  rate  :  s'posin'  I  jerk  it  off?  it'll  be 
a  good  thing  to  have  about  the  ranch ; "  and  with- 
out more  ado,  Sile  went  to  work. 

While  he  was  engaged  in  flaying  the  bear,  Hal 
and  myself  began  a  cautious  exploration  of  the  un- 
derbrush in  the  immediate  vicinity,  and,  after  a 
short  search,  were  rewarded  by  finding  a  portion  of 
the  carcass  of  what  Sile  immediately  pronounced  to 
be  a  large  grizzly.  Every  particle  of  flesh  was  gone, 
only  a  few  of  the  larger  bones  and  bits  of  the  hide 
remaining,  which  Sile  unhesitatingly  said  had  lain 
there  but  a  few  hours ;  expressing  the  decided 
opinion  that  it  was  that  of  the  hero  of  the  previous 
day's  fight. 


240  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  What  makes  you  think  so  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

"  'Cause  the  critter  hain't  bin  ded  but  a  little 
while,  in  the  fust  place  ;  then  ther  wouldn't  be  likely 
tew  be  a  second  grizzly  killed  so  near  ther  place  of 
ther  fight  as  this ;  then  agin,  we  know  sartin  thar 
was  a  pack  of  wolves  about  here  last  night,  and  this 
'ere  wounded  grizzly  was  what  bringed  'em  ter- 
gether.  Yer  kin  see  yerself  how  they've  polished 
ther  bones  off.  Wai,  if  we  was  tew  come  back  here 
in  ther  mornin,'  there  wouldn't  be  as  much  er  that 
'ere  carcass  left,  as  ther  is  er  this  ;  'cause  ther  bones 
ain't  so  heavy,  yer  see.  I  'spect  it's  'bout  time  we 
was  startin'  for  camp.  I  kin  pack  this  skin  on  my 
back,  and  we'll  start  along  down." 

"  This  has  been  about  the  stupidest  trip  I  ever 
made,  any  way,"  said  Hal,  as  we  slowly  descended 
the  hillside. 

"  I'm  sure  we've  found  all  we  came  to  find,  and 
more  too  :  and,  if  in  every  expedition  through  life  we 
are  so  fortunate,  we  sha'n't  have  much  to  regret  at 
the  end,  shall  we  ?  "  replied  I. 

"  Of  course  I  don't  mean  that,"  explained  Hal ; 
ubut  shooting  a  black  bear  seems  so  tame  and  com- 
monplace, after  killing  a  cinnamon,  that  there's  no 
excitement  or  fun  about  it." 

"  If  we  hadn't  happened  to  have  struck  that  feller 
in  the  right  place,  we'd  V  seed  fun  :  you  kin  be  sartin 
er  that,"  remarked  Sile. 

"  I  always  aim  at  the  right  place  myself,"  said  Hal. 

"  I  declar,  I  forgot  ter  see  which  of  ther  bullets 


AREIVAL   AT   NEW    ALMADEN.  241 

hit  this  feller  in  the  eye  ;  I  'spose  though  'twas  yourn 
if  you  aimed  at  it,"  suggested  Sile. 

44  Of  course  it  was,"  declared  Hal,  falling  com- 
pletely into  the  trap  Sile  had  so  cleverly  laid  for  him. 

44  Well,  I've  got  the  critter's  skin  here  on  my  back, 
and,  when  we  git  down  ter  camp,  we'll  sarch  for  ther 
holes :  them'll  tell,"  replied  Sile. 

This  was  rather  more  than  Hal  had  bargained  for 
when  he  asserted  the  fact  so  positively :  at  first  he 
appeared  somewhat  disconcerted,  but  finally  said,  — 

44  There's  a  chance  of  my  missing  it,  of  course :  no 
person  always  hits  the  mark,  does  he  ?  " 

44  No,  sir,"  declared  Sile  very  emphatically:  44  ther 
best  shot'll  miss  sometimes  ;  but  there's  a  chance  for 
yew  now,"  said  Sile,  pointing  to  a  fine  large  red 
buck,  browsing  a  little  distance  ahead  of  us. 

Before  Sile  could  unsling  his  pack,  and  bring  his 
rifle  to  his  face,  Hal  fired;  but  the  buck  bounded 
away,  apparently  unharmed. 

44  There's  the  proof  of  what  I  was  sayin',"  remarked 
Sile  dryly. 

Nothing  more  was  said  ;  and  in  a  few  moments  we 
arrived  in  camp,  Hal  evidently  feeling  very  much 
crestfallen,  and  disposed  to  remain  unusually  silent. 

At  my  suggestion,  nothing  was  said  concerning  the 
shot  at  the  black  bear ;  and,  as  we  were  all  somewhat 
fatigued,  we  retired  at  an  early  hour. 

The  next  afternoon  about  two  o'clock  we  came  in 
sight  of  the  little  village  of  New  Almada,  situated 
at  the  foot  of  the  Coast  Range,  about  thirteen  miles 


242  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

east  of  San  Jose,  at  the  head  of  the  beautiful  valley 
of  the  same  name. 

We  camped  just  outside  the  town,  in  a  grove  of 
magnificent  oaks  and  sycamores,  interspersed  occa- 
sionally with  clumps  of  firs  and  redwoods ;  the  latter 
towering  high  above  all  the  others. 

As  soon  as  we  were  fairly  settled  in  camp,  I  rode 
into  the  town,  which  consisted  almost  entirely  of 
buildings  belonging  to  the  company,  and  paid  my 
respects  to  Mr.  Young,  the  superintendent  of  the 
mines.  This  gentleman  received  me  very  kindly, 
and  after  informing  him  who  I  was,  and  our  object 
in  visiting  the  mines,  expressed  much  pleasure  at 
seeing  me,  offering  his  services  in  showing  us  all  the 
points  of  interest  about  the  premises,  as  well  as  those 
of  his  engineer  in  conducting  us  through  the  mines, 
the  entrance  to  which  is  about  a  mile  from  the  fur- 
naces, at  an  elevation  of  nearly  a  thousand  feet  above 
them. 

Thanking  him  for  his  politeness,  and  promising  to 
be  on  hand  at  an  early  hour  the  following  morning, 
to  avail  ourselves  of  his  kind  offer,  I  took  my  depar- 
ture for  camp,  well  pleased  at  my  reception,  and 
anticipating  much  pleasure  in  the  proposed  visit. 

During  the  evening,  while  seated  about  our  pleas- 
ant camp-fire,  Hal  suddenly  asked,  — 

"  What  is  there  so  funny  about  these  mines  ?  " 

"  Nothing  funny,"  was  my  reply.  "  There  are  but 
very  few  quicksilver-mines  in  the  known  world ; 
probably  not  more  than  half  a  dozen,  and  but  three 


THE  QUICKSILVER  MINES.  243 

or  four  of  those,  of  sufficient  value  to  pay  for  work- 
ing :  besides  which,  this  is  the  only  quicksilver- mine 
that  has  yet  been  discovered  in  the  United  States."  l 

"  I  wish  you'd  tell  us  all  about  quicksilver,"  ex- 
claimed Ned :  "  I'd  like  to  be  posted  before  I  go  up 
there  to-morrow." 

"  So  would  I,"  was  my  reply,  "  for  the  fact  is,  I 
know  so  little  about  it  myself,  I  hoped  to  have  learned 
something  on  the  subject  this  afternoon ;  but  Mr. 
Young  was  so  busy  I  didn't  like  to  ask  too  many  ques- 
tions, so  concluded  to  wait  until  to-morrow." 

"  What  do  they  do  with  quicksilver,  anyway  ? " 
demanded  Hal. 

"  It  is  largely  employed  in  collecting  gold-dust, 
in  extracting  gold  and  silver  from  their  ores,  in  the 
manufacture  of  looking-glasses,  in  gilding,  and  in 
plating.  In  its  native  state,  it  is  the  pigment  known 
as  vermilion,  used  in  coloring  sealing-wax,  and  by 
the  Indians  in  painting  their  faces,  besides  a  hun- 
dred other  purposes  that  I  can't  now  think  of." 

"  Of  course  the  Indians  didn't  know  any  thing 
about  this  mine,"  remarked  Ned. 

"  On  the  contrary,  they  first  discovered  it,  and 
had  dug  some  thirty  or  forty  feet  into  the  mountain 
to  obtain  the  cinnabar,  before  its  commercial  value 
was  discovered." 

44  What  is  cinnabar?"  inquired  Hal. 

1  At  the  time  of  our  visit,  no  other  mine  of  this  kind  was  known 
to  exist  in  the  United  States.  Since  then,  it  is  claimed  that  one  or 
two  others  have  been  fouud,  but  no  paying  ones. 


244  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  The  ore  from  which  the  quicksilver  of  commerce 
is  obtained  ;  technically  it  is  the  sulphide  or  sulphu- 
ret  of  mercury,  which,  when  pure,  is  a  natural  ver- 
milion, from  which  fact  the  attention  of  the  Indians 
was  drawn  towards  it,  I  suppose." 

"Haven't  they  always  had  quicksilver?"  inquired 
Ned. 

"  You're  getting  me  into  pretty  deep  water  with 
your  questions,  Ned;  but  I'll  try  and  answer  this 
one.  If  I  remember  right,  Pliny  gives  the  first  ac- 
count of  cinnabar.  He  states  that  the  Greeks  im- 
ported red  cinnabar  from  Almaden  in  Spain,  seven 
hundred  years  before  the  birth  of  Christ,  and  that 
in  his  own  time  seven  hundred  thousand  pounds 
were  received  annually  in  Rome  from  the  same 
mines ;  it  was  used  as  a  pigment  by  the  painters  of 
that  day,  as  well  as  by  the  Roman  matrons  for  the 
purpose  of  beautifying  their  faces." 

"  How  pure  is  this  ore,  and  what  does  it  look  like  ?  " 
inquired  Hal. 

"  You'll  have  to  wait  until  to-morrow  for  that  in- 
formation, when  I  doubt  not  Mr.  Young  will  be  able 
to  answer  all  your  questions  much  more  intelligibly 
than  I  can." 

"  All  right ;  let's  turn  in  now,  and  be  up  in  good 
season  in  the  morning,"  remarked  Ned. 

"  I  never  saw  such  a  sleepy-head  as  you  are,  Ned 
Brown.  I  believe  you'd  go  to  bed  at  sundown  and 
get  up  at  sunrise  the  year  round,  if  ycu  had  the 
choice,"  said  Hal. 


VISIT   TO  THE  FURNACES.  245 

"  He's  right  about  it  tew,"  remarked  Sile.  "  My 
old  mother  used  tew  say,  bed  was  ther  best  place 
in  ther  world  tew  keep  a  boy  from  gittin'  inter  mis- 
chief; and  I've  found  she  was  right's,  a  general 
thing." 

"  She  might  have  been  right  for  those  days,  but 
there's  a  different  state  of  things  now.  Boys  ain't 
kept  under  as  they  used  to  be,"  declared  Hal. 

"  The  more's  ther  pity  for  ther  boys.  They'll  never 
make  half  the  men  that  ther  boys  er  them  days  did. 
A  boy  was  a  boy  then  till  he  got  his  time,  a  freedom 
coat,  and  a  hundred  dollars,  all  in  the  same  day  ;  then 
he  knowed  he  was  of  age.  But  now,  why,  there's 
many  a  boy  of  sixteen  that  thinks  he  knows  more'n 
all  the  men  livin' ;  "  and  Sile  turned,  and  went  out 
to  pay  his  nightly  visit  to  the  stock. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


WHAT  WE  SAW.  -  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  MANNER  OF  RE- 
DUCING THE  ORE.  -  ITS  SPECIFIC  GRAVITY.  -  INTEREST- 
ING EXPERIMENTS.  -  HAL  AND  NED  DELIGHTED.  -  A 
FINE  ENTERTAINMENT.  -  VISIT  TO  THE  MINES.  -  HOW 
THEY  ARE  WORKED.  -  WHAT  WE  SAW  UNDERGROUND. 
-  RETURN  TO  CAMP.  -  WHAT  SILE  SAID. 


boys  were  up  betimes  the  following  morning  ; 
J-  and  about  nine  o'clock  Hal,  Ned,  and  myself 
started  for  the  village,  leaving  Sile  in  charge  of  camp. 

We  found  Mr.  Young  at  the  company's  office, 
waiting  for  us.  He  greeted  us  kindly,  introducing 
Mr.  Bester  the  engineer,  and  a  Mr.  Walkinshaw,  one 
of  the  proprietors,  who  resides  near  the  mines  ;  and 
after  a  short  conversation,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Young  and  Mr.  Walkinshaw,  we  set  out  upon  our 
visit  to  the  furnaces,  &c.,  reserving  the  mines  until 
the  following  day,  when  Mr.  Bester  was  to  take  us 
in  charge. 

The  village  itself  is  pleasantly  located,  and  con- 
tains the  company's  furnaces,  storehouses,  machine- 
shops,  offices,  and  dwelling-houses  for  both  officers 

246 


MANNER   OF  REDUCING  THE  ORE.  247 

and  men ;  these  buildings  are  generally  constructed 
of  brick  in  a  substantial  and  durable  manner. 

Our  steps  were  first  directed  towards  the  furnaces ; 
and,  while  on  our  way  there,  Mr.  Young  informed  us 
that  when  the  company  first  commenced  their  experi- 
ments, having  in  view  extracting  quicksilver  from 
cinnabar,  they  labored  under  many  disadvantages ; 
for  they  were  entirely  ignorant  of  every  thing  con- 
nected with  the  operation,  there  being  but  one  other 
mine  in  the  world  (that  of  Almaden  in  Spain), 
where  it  was  carried  on  successfully  ;  and,  although 
every  effort  was  made  to  ascertain  their  manner  of 
treating  the  ore,  the  attempts  were  all  unsuccess- 
ful ;  the  proprietors  of  a  mine  holding  such  a  mo- 
nopoly of  course  refused  to  impart  any  information 
that  would  benefit  what  might  prove  to  be  a  danger- 
ous rival  to  their  interests.  "  Consequently,"  added 
he,  "  we  were  all  in  the  dark,  but  we  are  gradually 
getting  light  upon  the  subject :  it's  rather  expensive 
light  though,  for  the  cost  of  starting  has  been  enor- 
mous ;  but  we  are  learning  every  day. 

"  We  have  six  of  these  furnaces  now  in  operation ; 
and,  as  you  can  see,  they  are  simple,  and  the  cost  of 
running  them  is  comparatively  light. 

"  The  ore  is  brought  down  from  the  mine,  sorted, 
and  piled  up  close  by  the  furnace-doors ;  we  throw 
the  ore  on,  keep  up  a  steady  fire  night  and  day, 
until  it  is  thoroughly  heated,  and  the  quicksilver 
sublimed." 

"  Will  you  tell  us  what  that  is  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 


248  CKOSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Certainly,  my  boy  ;  and  if  at  any  time  you  want 
to  ask  a  question,  don't  hesitate  to  do  it.  I'll  be 
very  glad  to  answer  it. 

"  By  sublimed  I  mean,  converted  into  vapor  by 
heat,  and  then  recondensed  into  a  solid  form,  when  it 
of  course  falls  by  its  own  weight,  and  is  conducted  by 
these  pipes,  which  lead  along  the  bottom  of  the  fur- 
naces, to  reservoirs  which  I  am  going  to  show  you, 
buried  in  the  earth  ;  these  hold  between  one  and  two 
gallons  each." 

"  What  are  they  buried  in  the  earth  for  ?  "  asked 
Hal. 

"  To  assist  it  in  cooling.  From  these  reservoirs 
the  quicksilver  is  carried  into  this  storehouse,  where 
it  is  deposited,  as  you  see,  in  these  cast-iron  tanks,  or 
vats,  which  are  set  in  solid  masonry." 

"  How  much  is  there  in  this  one  ? "  said  Ned, 
standing  beside  one  of  the  tanks  about  five  feet 
square.  "  Over  twenty  tons,"  was  the  answer. 
"  Pull  off  your  coat,  my  boy,  roll  up  your  sleeve,  and 
plunge  your  arm  down  into  this  vat." 

Ned  did  so,  quickly  withdrawing  it,  and  exclaim- 
ing,— 

"  Ough !  how  funny  it  feels ! " 

Hal  and  myself  followed  suit.  The  sensation 
experienced  was,  as  Ned  declared,  a  "  very  funny 
one,"  or  perhaps  I  can  better  describe  it  by  saying 
that  it  was  something  between  a  funny  and  a  chill- 
ing one ;  so  peculiar,  in  any  event,  that  neither  of 
us  cared  to  repeat  the  operation. 


INTERESTING  EXPERIMENTS.  249 

"  There,"  said  Mr.  Young,  handing  Hal  a  small 
piece  of  very  light  porous  wood,  "  hold  that  in  the 
tank  a  minute." 

Hal  did  as  requested,  and,  upon  withdrawing  it, 
found  that  the  metal  had  penetrated,  even  in  that 
short  time,  through  every  fibre  of  the  wood,  making 
the  weight  of  the  stick  almost  as  much  as  that  of  a 
like  quantity  of  pure  quicksilver. 

"Now,"  said  Mr.  Young  pleasantly,  "one  morev 
illustration,  and  you  young  gentlemen  will  have  a 
pretty  good  idea  of  the  specific  gravity  of  this 
metal." 

Taking  a  piece  of  oak  plank  about  three  feet  long 
and  twelve  or  fourteen  inches  wide,  he  laid  it  upon 
the  surface  of  the  quicksilver  in  the  vat,  then  said,  — 

"  Now  you  boys  both  stand  upon  that  piece  of 
plank." 

"  Why,  we  shall  sink  it,"  exclaimed  Hal. 

"  It'll  let  us  in,  sure,"  said  Ned. 

"  It  will  do  neither  one  nor  the  other,"  replied 
Mr.  Young :  then  turning  to  me  he  said,  — 

"  Come,  judge,  you  try  it  with  me." 

I  stepped  upon  the  plank  with  him  (not  without 
some  misgivings,  I  confess),  and  the  next  moment 
was  floating  upon  a  mass  of  pure  quicksilver,  and  to 
my  surprise  found  that  its  specific  gravity  was  so 
great,  our  united  weight  made  scarcely  a  perceptible 
difference  in  the  buoyancy  of  the  plank. 

"  There,"  said  Mr.  Young  as  we  stepped  upon 
terra  firma  once  more,  "  that's  better  explained  than 
words  would  have  done  it." 


250  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Yes,  and  a  good  deal  more  satisfactorily,"  re- 
plied I. 

"  From  the  storehouse  to  the  warehouse  is  but  a 
step,  you  see,"  continued  Mr.  Young  ;  "  and  here  we 
prepare  the  metal  for  market,  by  putting  it  into 
these  wrought-iron  flasks,  each  one  of  which  holds 
seventy-five  pounds :  these  are  imported  by  us 
from  England,  because  they  are  just  as  good  as,  and 
cost  much  less,  than  those  manufactured  in  the 
United  States." 

"  How  do  you  fill  them  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"  With  these  ladles,  from  which  it  is  poured  into 
the  flask,  through  an  ordinary  tin  tunnel ;  one  of 
these  screws  is  then  fitted  into  the  mouth  of  the 
flask  so  as  to  render  it  absolutely  tight,  and  the 
quicksilver  is  ready  for  market.  It  is  carried  from 
here  to  the  ocean  in  ox-carts,  from  thence  shipped  to 
San  Francisco,  and  from  there  to  China,  Japan,  and 
elsewhere." 

"  What  is  the  average  product  per  month  of  your 
mines  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Last  month  we  shipped  nearly  two  thousand 
flasks  or  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
pounds,  and  we  hope  to  double  the  amount  during 
the  coming  year." 

"  Don't  the  laborers  who  are  constantly  inhaling 
the  vapors  arising  from  these  furnaces  suffer  from 
salivation  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Oh,  yes  !  they  have  to  take  a  rest  every  three  or 
four  weeks,  and  we  are  obliged  to  set  a  fresh  gang 


A  FINE  ENTERTAINMENT.  251 

at  work  ;  then  we  lose  some  twenty  or  thirty  horses 
and  mules  every  year  from  the  effects  of  the  mer- 
cury ;  but  the  miners,  and  those  who  merely  handle 
the  ore  are  not  affected  in  the  least." 

"  How  long  do  you  run  your  furnaces  without 
drawing  their  fires  ?"  inquired  I. 

"  It  generally  takes  seven  or  eight  days  to  fill  the 
furnaces,  extract  the  quicksilver,  and  remove  the 
residuum,  which  is  the  worst  part  of  the  entire  busi- 
ness," said  Mr.  Young. 

"  Why  the  worst  part  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

"  It's  the  most  dangerous,  because  the  men  em- 
ployed at  it  appear  to  suffer  more  from  the  effects  of 
the  mercury  ;  that  is,  they  are  salivated  the  worst." 

"  What  is  salivation  ?  "  asked  Ned  in  an  aside. 

"  I  suppose  it  would  be  termed  an  excessive  or 
unusually  large  flow  of  saliva,"  said  I. 

"  Is  that  injurious  ?  "  continued  the  bojr. 

"It  is  considered  very  much  so,  I  believe,"  re- 
plied I ;  and  just  here  Mr.  Young  turned  and  said, 
"  Now,  gentlemen,  I  was  requested  by  Mr.  Walkin- 
shaw  to  bring  you  up  to  his  house  to  lunch  ;  the 
ambulance  is  harnessed,  and  I  shall  be  most  happy 
to  drive  you  up  if  you  will  allow  me." 

I  was  at  first  inclined  to  refuse  the  invitation  so 
cordially  extended;  but  Mr.  Young  was  very  de- 
cided in  urging  our  acceptance,  and  I  finally  yielded 
a  reluctant  assent,  and  accompanied  him  to  Mr. 
Walkinshaw's  beautiful  residence  about  a  mile  dis- 
tant from  New  Almaden. 


252  CEOSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

This  gentleman,  an  Englishman  by  birth,  had  for 
many  years  been  a  resident  of  Mexico  and  California, 
where  his  long  and  fortunate  experience  with  mines 
and  mining,  had  rendered  him  a  most  desirable  and 
valuable  resident  owner  and  counsellor. 

After  partaking  of  a  substantial  lunch,  we  spent 
several  hours  in  viewing  and  admiring  our  host's 
extensive  and  elegant  grounds,  the  natural  beauties 
of  which  had  been  greatly  augmented  by  the  addi- 
tion of  many  rare  and  valuable  plants  and  flowering 
shrubs ;  we  then  returned  to  our  camp,  well  pleased 
that  the  day  had  brought  us  not  only  pleasure,  but 
much  valuable  information. 

The  boys  entertained  Sile  until  a  late  hour,  re- 
lating the  incidents  of  the  day  with  so  much  spirit 
that  they  succeeded  in  awakening  sufficient  curiosity 
in  Sile's  mind,  to  induce  him  to  accompany  us  in 
our  visit  to  the  mine  the  following  morning. 

We  set  out  about  nine  o'clock,  and  found  Mr. 
Bester  waiting  for  us  with  mules,  just  back  of  the 
storehouses,  at  the  point  where  the  ascent  to  the 
mine  commences. 

The  road,  which  is  about  a  mile  in  length,  winds 
up  the  side  of  the  mountain  for  that  distance,  rising 
about  twenty-five  feet  in  every  hundred,  until  the 
opening  is  reached. 

On  our  way  up  we  stopped  a  few  minutes  at  the 
adit  or  tunnel,  which  the  company  was  constructing 
for  the  purpose  of  intersecting  the  main  shaft.  This 
had  already  been  dug  through  the  solid  rock  for 


VISIT   TO  THE  MINES.  253 

nearly  a  thousand  feet ;  and  Mr.  Bester  informed  us 
that  he  expected  to  reach  their  objective  point  after 
penetrating  fifty  feet  farther. 

The  expense  of  constructing  this  adit,  which  was 
nearly  ten  feet  in  width  by  eight  in  height,  must 
have  been  very  great ;  but  the  company  believed  it 
would  more  than  compensate  for  the  cost,  in  the 
great  saving  of  labor  that  would  accrue  from  its  use. 

The  apex  or  top  of  the  mountain,  which  is  coni- 
cal in  shape,  rises  for  two  hundred  feet  above  the 
entrance  to,  or  main  shaft  of  the  mine,  which  is  on 
a  level  with  and  but  a  short  distance,  from  the  village 
where  the  laborers  and  their  families  reside. 

As  we  approached  the  opening,  and  saw  the  nearly 
naked  miners  swarming  in  and  out,  with  their  huge 
leather  sacks  swung  upon  their  backs,  the  busy  scene 
reminded  me  more  of  the  entrance  to  a  beehive 
than  any  thing  else. 

"  What  are  those  men  doing?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  Bringing  up  the  ore  from  the  mine,"  was  the 
answer. 

"  They  (Jon't  bring  it  up  on  their  backs,  do  they  ?  " 
continued  the  boy. 

"  Yes  ;  we  have  no  other  means  of  hoisting  it,  save 
in  these  sacks,  upon  the  backs  of  the  men,"  was  the 
response; 

"  It  must  be  a  very  expensive  process,"  remarked 
I,  in  a  tone  of  inquiry. 

"  Yes ;  for  not  only  the  best  ore,  but  the  refuse, 
must  be  brought  up  as  well,  before  it  can  be  sepa- 


254  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

rated:  it  is  done  by  contractors,  however,  who,  as 
you  see,  employ  none  but  Mexicans." 

44  Wouldn't  Americans  do  as  well  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"  Undoubtedly ;  but  Americans  could  hardly  be 
employed  as  cheaply  as  these  men,  and  I  doubt  if 
they  would  answer  the  same  purpose,"  replied  Mr. 
Bester. 

44  They  look  more  like  Apaches  than  Mexicans. 
Don't  they  ever  wear  any  more  clothing  than  they 
have  on  now  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  Not  when  at  work  ;  the  handkerchief  and  breech- 
cloth  constitute  their  sole  dress,"  was  the  reply. 

44 1  don't  see  as  these  arrieros  are  much  better  off,"    .  - 
remarked   Sile.     44  It's  a  mighty  comfer'ble  way  er 
dressin',  anyhow." 

44  Yes,"  remarked  Mr.  Bester,  44  that  extra  calico 
shirt  can't  well  be  called  superfluous  clothing." 

44  How  many  trips  to  the  surface  per  day  do  these 
miners  average  ?  "  inquired  I. 

44  Generally  from  fifty  to  sixty,"  was  the  answer. 

44  And  the  arrieros  ?  "  continued  I. 

44  Two  trips  each  day  ;  that  is,  from  the  mine  to  the 
furnaces  twice,  and  return.  They  are  about  loading 
the  train ;  if  you  would  like  to  remain  and  witness 
the  operation,  before  descending  into  the  mine,  we 
will  do  so." 

The  mules  to  the  number  of  seventy-five,  sleek 
looking,  splendid  animals,  were  brought  up,  each 
with  a  pair  of  panniers,  made  of  rawhide,  slung  across 
their  backs.  Into  these,  three  hundred  pounds  of  the 


HOW   THEY   AEE   WOKKED.  255 

ore  was  piled  :  this  constituted  a  cargo, ;  each  one  of 
which  was  weighed,  the  company  paying  so  much  for 
bringing  it  to  the  surface,  and  so  much  for  carrying 
it  to  the  furnaces. 

After  witnessing  the  operation  of  loading  and 
starting  the  train,  we  prepared  for  our  descent  into 
the  mine. 

We  were  first  each  provided  with  tallow  candles 
tied  to  the  end  of  a  pine  stick,  which  Mr.  Bester 
rather  facetiously  denominated  torches,  and  with 
these  in  our  hands  entered  the  mine. 

About  ten  feet  from  the  entrance  we  came  to  a 
little  niche  cut  into  the  solid  rock,  in  which  the 
workmen  had  set  up  an  image  of  their  patron  saint, 
gaudily  attired  in  silk  and  velvet ;  and  Mr.  Bester 
informed  us  that  "  every  man,  before  entering  the 
mine  in  the  morning,  falls  upon  his  knees  before  the 
image,  and  invokes  its  protection  for  the  day. 
"Indeed,"  said  he,  "the  mine  was  opened  in  the 
winter  of  '46  and  '7;  and,  although  we  employ  about 
two  hundred  workmen,  we  have  been  so  singularly 
fortunate  as  never  to  have  had  an  accident  thus  far, 
—  a  fact  that  the  men  all  attribute  to  the  protecting 
influence  of  this  saint." 

After  advancing  horizontally  about  sixty  feet,  the 
shaft  took  a  turn  downwards  ;  and  in  a  short  time  we 
came  to  a  notched  log,  down  which  we  climbed  with 
difficulty,  steadying  ourselves  with  one  hand,  and 
holding  the  torch  with  the  other. 

"  Why  don't  you  have  regular  ladders   instead  of 


256  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

these  notched  logs  ?  "  inquired  Hal,  after  reaching 
the  platform  upon  which  the  log  rested. 

"  This  is  a  ladder,  the  same  now  in  use  in  nearly 
all  the  mines  throughout  Mexico.  Workmen  prefer 
them  to  any  other  ;  and  I  believe  that  I  like  them 
quite  as  well  myself,  since  I  have  become  accustomed 
to  them." 

"  It  seems  to  me  a  mighty  awkward  way  of  get- 
ting up  and  down  in  the  world,  anyhow,"  laughingly 
remarked  Hal. 

"  Yes,  to  you  ;  but  see  with  what  facility  the 
miners  climb  them,  with  those  heavy  leathern  sacks 
upon  their  backs,"  replied  Mr.  Bester. 

"  I  suppose  it's  every  thing  in  getting  used  to  it," 
said  Ned. 

"  Now  if  you  are  ready  we  will  go  on  down  ;  here 
we  have  ten  stone  steps  to  descend  ;  "  and  so  we 
went  on,  here  following  an  inclined  plane  for  a  short 
distance,  then  climbing  down  another  notched  log, 
and  then  more  stone  steps,  until  at  last  we  stood  at 
the  bottom  of  the  mine,  two  hundred  and  forty  feet 
beneath  the  surface. 

From  different  points  numerous  passages  extended 
in  all  directions,  following  the  lead  of  the  different 
veins  of  ore,  there  being  over  nine  thousand  lineal 
feet  of  these  excavations  ;  some  of  the  passages  were 
four  or  five  feet  in  diameter,  others  barely  large 
enough  to  admit  the  working  of  a  single  miner  with 
his  pick  and  drill. 

With   boyish   curiosity,   Hal  and  Ned  of   course 


WHAT   SILE  SAID.  257 

insisted  upon  exploring  each  of  the  different  passages, 
so  that  several  hours  elapsed  before  we  found  our- 
selves slowly  climbing  the  notched  logs  or  ascending 
the  rudely  cut  stone  steps,  in  our  journey  towards  the 
light  of  day. 

We  reached  it  finally ;  and  after  emerging  into 
the  bright  sunshine,  and  once  more  inhaling  the 
sweet,  fresh  air,  Sile  expressed  the  feelings  of  our 
entire  party,  when  after  drawing  a  long  breath  he 
exclaimed,  — 

"  I've  tramped  these  'ere  mountings  and  valleys 
for  nigh  about  ten  year  ;  but  I'll  be  blessed  if  I  ever 
know'd  the  vally  o'  fresh  air  and  blue  sky  afore  ;  " 
adding  as  he  looked  about  him,  "  Ef  yer  ever  ketch 
Sile  Carter  so  far  under  ground  ag'in,  yer  may  set 
him  down  for  a  dead  man." 

Not  many  months  after  this,  upon  emerging  from 
the  exploration  of  a  silver-mine  of  vast  depth  in  Old 
Mexico,  I  ventured  to  remind  Sile  of  the  above  dec- 
laration, to  which  he  replied,  — 

"  I  ain't  a-goin'  tew  deny  it ;  but,  if  any  man 
thinks  I'm  \lead,  he'll  fin'  me  the  livest  corps  he 
ever  tried  ter  bury.  I  ain't  the  fust  Carter  either 
thet's  hed  ter  foller  his  team  inter  mighty  onpleas- 
ant  sitooations." 

It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  before  we 
reached  the  furnaces  once  more,  on  our  return  to 
camp.  Here  bidding  adieu  to  our  new-found  friends, 
and  thanking  them  for  the  many  courtesies  extended 
to  us,  we  set  out  for  camp,  well  satisfied  with  the 


258  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

result  of  our  visit  to  the  New  Almaden  quicksilver- 
mines,  but  very  tired  from  the  unusual  fatigue  of 
the  day. 

I  went  to  bed  early ;  and  the  last  thing  I  remember 
was  listening  to  a  discussion  between  Hal  and  Ned, 
regarding  the  probabilities  of  finding  a  quicksilver- 
mine  in  the  mountain  range  near  our  ranch,  and  the 
possibility  of  successfully  working  it. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

HAL     AND     "NED     DISCUSS     A      POINT.  —  THE      TWO     INDIAN 

CHIEFS.  A   QUESTION.  SHALL   WE     GO,    OR   STAY  ? 

THE     DECISION. HAL     OBJECTS.  THE      STRAY     HORSE. 

A  LONG   TRAMP.  —  A  PROPOSITION. — HAL  APOLOGIZES. 

"  T   WISH  old  Jerry  was  here  this  morning,"  said 

J-  Ned,  seating  himself  before  a  plate  piled  high 
with  juicy  venison-steak. 

"  I  don't,  because  he'd  be  sure  to  snub  me  if  I 
spoke  about  the  Apaches,  or  ventured  to  give  an 
opinion  upon  any  subject.  I  wonder  though,  what 
he'd  say  about  that  cinnamon  bear  I  killed,"  replied 
Hal,  helping  himself  to  a  flap-jack. 

"  He'd  probably  say  what  everybody  else  says, 
that  'twas  a  mighty  lucky  shot,"  answered  Ned. 

"A  mighty  lucky  shot,"  responded  Hal,  mimick- 
ing Ned.  "  That's  all  the  credit  I  ever  get  when  I 
do  a  good  thing.  If  anybody  else  had  killed  him,  it 
would  have  been  a  splendid  shot;  but,  because  it 
was  me,  it's  a  4  mighty  lucky '  one.  I  don't  care, 
Ned  Brown:  I  didn't  go  out  and  get  lost,  and  have  to 
stay  up  a  tree  all  night  because  I  was  afraid  to  come 
down  in  the  dark."  259 


260  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  No,  but  you  and  I  both  got  scared  at  a  drove  of 
hogs  when  we  were  coming  through  Texas,  and  were 
glad  enough  to  climb  a  tree  in  daylight,  to  get  rid  of 
'em,"  replied  Ned. 

"  Don't  say  I  was  scared :  I  wasn't  frightened  a 
particle,"  said  Hal. 

"  Then  what  did  you  cry  for  ?  "  asked  Ned. 

"  Cry  !  I  didn't  cry :  you  was  the  only  one  that 
shed  a  tear  about  the  matter,"  asserted  Hal. 

"  Didn't  Hal  cry  when  he  was  up  that  post-oak  in 
Texas  ?  "  asked  Ned,  appealing  to  me. 

"  If  I  remember  right,  he  did,"  was  my  reply  ; 
"  but  you  boys  must  settle  your  own  differences  with- 
out reference  to  me." 

"  Well,  I  meant  that  I  didn't  cry  because  I  was 
scared,"  said  Hal,  a  little  disconcerted  by  my  answer. 

"  What  did  you  cry  for,  then  ?  "  inquired  Ned. 

"  I  shouldn't  think  you'd  ask  such  a  question,  Ned 
Brown,  when  you  knew  that  I  only  cried  out  of  sym- 
pathy with  you,"  said  Hal. 

"  That  reminds  me  of  the  story  of  two  Indian 
chiefs  who  were  once  invited  to  dine  at  a  white  man's 
table,"  said  I.  "  One  of  them  seized  the  mustard- 
pot,  and  conveyed  to  his  mouth,  a  spoonful  of  the 
contents,  which  were  so  strong  that  it  brought  the 
tears  to  his  eyes. 

"  The  other  observing  this  said, — 

"'What'ee  cry  for,  eh?' 

"  '  Umph !  me  tinkee  my  fader ;  die  tudder  day,' 
was  the  answer. 


THE   TWO  INDIAN   CHIEFS.  261 

"  In  a  short  time  the  other  Indian  seized  the  pot, 
and  conveyed  the  spoon  to  his  mouth,  which  imme- 
diately brought  the  tears  to  his  eyes. 

"  Observing  this,  the  chief  who  had  first  tried  it 
asked  in  a  triumphant  manner,  — 

"  '  What  make'ee  cry  for,  eh  ?  ' 

"  '  Umph,'  responded  his  companion,  '  me  cry 
'cause  you  no  die  when  oo  fader  did.' ' 

"  I  don't  see  how  that  story  applies  to  me,"  re- 
marked Hal  to  Ned,  who  was  laughing. 

"  Yours  was  the  same  kind  of  sympathy  that  made 
the  Indian  cry  ;  wasn't  it  ?  "  asked  I. 

u  Of  course  it  was,"  said  Ned :  "  Hal  cried  because 
he  couldn't  help  it,  and  so  did  the  Indian." 

"  Well,  I  don't  see  any  point  to  the  story,"  remarked 
Hal;  "  but  I'd  like  to  know  if  we  are  going  to  stay 
here  all  day,  or  not." 

"  Suppose  when  Sile  comes,  we  take  a  vote,  whether 
we  spend  the  day  here,  or  go  back  to  the  little  valley 
near  where  we  had  the  bear-hunt,"  said  I. 

"  Well,  for  my  part,  I'm  tired  of  hunting,  and  had 
rather  stay  where  we  are,"  remarked  Hal. 

"  All  right ;  here  comes  Sile :  we'll  take  a  vote, 
and  the  majority  shall  decide.  What  say  you,  Sile  ? 
shall  we  spend  the  day  here,  or  return  to  our  old 
camp  in  the  valley  for  a  day  or  two  ?  " 

"  I'm  for  goin'  back,  squire :  we  kin  hev  a  day's 
huntin'  there,  for  I  hain't  seen  no  place  sence  we 
started,  where  thar's  so  many  signs  er  game,  as  thar 
is  'bout  that  place." 


262  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  And  you,  Hal,  what  say  you  ?  " 

"  I  just  told  you.     I'm  for  staying  where  we  are." 

"  And  Ned  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  I'm  for  going  back.  It's  a  great  deal  pleasanter 
there,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Well,  I'm  very  certainly  in  favor  of  returning," 
remarked  I.  "  Three  to  one,  Hal.  • —  Catch  up,  and 
we'll  start,  Sile." 

"  You  needn't  catch  my  horse,  Sile.  I  want  to  stay 
here  awhile,  and  will  come  on  and  overtake  you 
before  you  get  into  camp,"  said  Hal. 

"  I  guess  I'd  better  hev  him  ketched  up,  'cause 
maybe  he'll  bother  you  if  you  try  to  ketch  him  when 
he's  alone.  Yer  see,  he's  used  tew  runnin'  with  a 
herd,  and  "  — 

"Well,  don't  you  "trouble  yourself  about  my  not 
being  able  to  catch  him.  I  don't  want  him  caught 
now,  anyway,"  said  Hal  decidedly,  angry  at  the  idea 
of  being  advised  by  any  one. 

"  Let  the  horse  alone,  Sile,"  said  I.  "  Hal  thinks 
he's  able  to  take  care  of  himself.  Let  him  catch  his 
own  animal." 

44  All  right,  squire,  just  as  you  say ;  but  he'll  hev 
a  job  a-ketchin  ther  critter,  or  I'll  lose  my  guess." 

44  Well,  it's  one  of  his  own  seeking :  so  let  the  horse 
be." 

In  about  half  an  hour  the  animals  were  packed, 
our  horses  saddled,  and  we  on  the  road,  leaving  Hal 
behind,  lazily  reposing  beneath  the  shade  of  one  of 
the  oaks. 


THE   STRAY   HORSE.  263 

"  You  look  rather  lonesome,  Hal :  hadn't  you  better 
conclude,  after  all,  to  come  with  us?"  said  I  as  we 
passed  him. 

44  I'm  going  to  take  a  nap  before  I  start,"  replied 
the  boy. 

44  That  hoss'll  foller  us,  as  sartin  as  you're  a  livin' 
man,"  remarked  Sile  in  a  low  tone,  as  we  wheeled 
into  line. 

44  Then  Hal  will  have  to  shoulder  his  saddle,  and 
travel  after  him.  It  won't  hurt  him  to  walk  a  few 
miles,  and  may  learn  him  a  lesson,"  replied  I. 

We  rode  on,  and  in  a  few  minutes  a  turn  in  the 
trail  hid  our  camp  from  sight.  We  looked  back  as  we 
turned :  Hal  was  lying  in  the  same  position  as  when 
we  left  him,  and  his  horse  was  quietly  feeding  near. 

44 1  don't  believe  the  horse'll  offer  to  follow  us," 
remarked  Ned  :  "  he's  quiet  enough  now." 

44  All  right,  sonny.  Hosses  is  hosses,  the  world 
over;  and  I  never  seen  one  yit,  that  didn't  like  com- 
pany :  much  more  them  as  is  used  tew  it,"  replied 
Sile. 

44  How  far  is  it  from  the  furnaces  to  that  valley, 
Sile  ?  "  asked  Ned,  after  we  had  been  on  the  road  an 
hour  or  more. 

44 1  guess  'tain't  over  ten  mile,"  replied  Sile. 

44  There's  no  chance  of  Hal's  getting  lost,  is 
there  ?  "  inquired  the  boy. 

44  Not  a  bit;  he  couldn't  do  it  onless  he  tried: 
but  there's  a  right  smart  chance  of  his  hevin'  tew 
walk  in,  or  my  guess  ain't  wuth  a  cent." 


264  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Do  you  really  think  his  horse  will  follow  us  ?  " 
asked  Ned. 

"  'Tairi't  wuth  while  talkin' ;  wait  a  while  and 
see,"  responded  Sile  confidently. 

We  rode  on  for  perhaps  half  an  hour  longer,  when 
we  suddenly  heard  the  sound  of  horse's  feet  behind 
us,  and  the  next  moment  a  loud  neigh,  which  was 
immediately  answered  by  Ned's  pony  ;  and  then  Hal's 
horse,  without  saddle  or  bridle,  but  with  his  long 
lariat  trailing  behind  him  in  the  dust,  galloped  past 
us,  and  fell  into  line  with  as  much  precision  as  an 
old  cavalry-horse. 

"  What'd  I  tell  yer  ?  "  asked  Sile.  "  Somebody'll 
hev  tew  take  that  hoss  back  now." 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  said  I,  speaking  very  decidedly. 
"  Hal  may  overtake  us  the  best  he  can  :  if  he  don't 
come  in  before  we  get  ready  to  leave  the  valley, 
we'll  send  back  after  him  ;  but  we'll  give  him  plenty 
of  time  to  walk,  and  perhaps  it  may  teach  him  to 
take  the  advice  of  those  who  are  older,  and  know 
more  than  he  does.  Have  some  one  catch  the  horse, 
and  coil  that  lasso,  so  that  it  won't  be  dragging  in 
the  dust  behind  him." 

This  was  soon  done,  and  we  rode  along  without 
further  delay,  until  we  reached  our  camping-place 
about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

Dinner  was  soon  'prepared,  and  after  a  little  time, 
Sile  and  Ned  began  to  make  preparations  for  our 
hunt  the  following  day.  I  took  this  occasion  to 
write  up  my  journal,  and  the  Mexicans  amused  them- 
selves by  catching  one  another  with  lassos. 


A  LONG   TRAMP.  265 

About  six  o'clock  Sile  announced  that  Hal  was 
just  coming  through  the  woods,  with  his  saddle  upon 
his  shoulder ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  appeared,  con- 
siderably blown,  and  looking  exceedingly  cross  arid 
uncomfortable. 

Throwing  his  saddle  and  bridle  down  upon  the 
ground,  he  turned  towards  Sile,  and  said,  — 

"  You  served  me  a  pretty  trick,  didn't  you  ?  — 
coaxing  my  horse  to  follow  you  off." 

Sile  only  laughed. 

"  What's  the  matter,  Hal  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Why,  when  I  went  to  catch  my  horse,  he  started 
off  into  the  woods ;  but  I  knew  I  could  get  him 
well  enough,  because  his  lariat  was  dragging  behind. 
I  followed  him  for  a  mile  or  two,  but  he  kept  just  far 
enough  ahead  of  me  to  prevent  my  catching  hold  of 
the  rope  ;  after  chasing  him  awhile  I  saw  that  he 
was  going  to  keep  the  trail,  so  I  went  back  after  my 
saddle  and  rifle,  and  when  I  came  up  to  the  place 
where  I  left  the  trail  it  very  suddenly  disappeared ; 
and  I'll  bet  I  walked  a  dozen  miles,  hunting  for  him 
in  the  woods." 

"  Well,  what  had  Sile  to  do  with  that  ?  If  you 
had  followed  his  advice  you  wouldn't  have  lost  your 
horse." 

"  I  should  have  been  all  right  if  he  hadn't  taken 
off  the  lariat." 

"  All  right !  "  repeated  I.     "  How  so  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  was  trailing  him  by  the  lariat ;  and 
when  I  lost  the  mark  in  the  dust,  I  supposed  of 
course  that  he  had  gone  into  the  woods." 


266  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  That's  the  strangest  thing  I  ever  heard  —  a  boy 
with  the  experience  upon  the  frontier  that  you  claim 
to  have  had !  Hal,  I'm  astonished.  You  should  have 
been  able  to  have  tracked  your  horse  by  the  prints  of 
his  hoofs,  not  by  the  rope  he  dragged  behind  him. 
You  ought  to  have  seen,  not  only  the  mark  of  the 
man's  feet  who  alighted  to  coil  the  lasso,  but  you 
should  have  known  where  his  horse  stood  when  he 
dismounted.  Ned  and  myself  also  stopped  there 
for  some  time,  while  Sile  was  catching  the  horse. 
Besides  this,  you  should  have  known  that  the  animal 
would  have  followed  the  herd,  any  way.  Sile 
and  myself  both  urged  you  to  allow  him  to  be 
caught ;  but  you  persisted  in  having  your  way,  and 
now  you  have  got  your  punishment  for  it.  Instead 
of  coaxing  your  horse  away  when  he  overtook  us, 
Sile  wanted  to  send  him  back  ;  but  I  refused  to  per- 
mit it.  If  you  are  tired  I'm  not  sorry,  for  I  hope 
you  have  learned  a  lesson  from  your  experience  to- 
day, that  will  be  of  service  to  you  in  future.  You've 
done  Sile  great  injustice,  and  I  believe  you'll  show 
yourself  manly  enough  to  apologize  to  him  for  it ; 
remember,  it's  only  a  coward  who  is  ashamed  to 
acknowledge  himself  wrong,  when  convinced  of  his 
error." 

This  was  the  longest  lecture  I  had  ever  given  Hal ; 
but  he  received  it  without  attempting  any  justification 
of  himself  or  making  any  reply,  and,  when  I  had 
finished,  marched  up  to  Sile,  and  handsomely  apolo- 
gized for  his  indiscreet  statements. 


HAL  APOLOGIZES.  267 

It  was  readily  overlooked,  for  Sile  knew  and 
understood  Hal's  impulsiveness  far  too  well  to  take 
any  offence  at  his  ill-advised  and  foolish  speeches. 

"  Well,  Hal,"  said  I,  as  he  joined  us  after  eating 
his  dinner,  "  are  you  going  to  accompany  us  up  the 
mountain  on  our  hunt  to-morrow  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  am.  I  wouldn't  miss  it  for  a  great 
deal,"  was  his  reply. 

"  Is  your  rifle  cleaned,  and  every  thing  ready  ?  " 

"  No,  sir  ;  but  I'll  have  it  ready  before  I  sleep  ; " 
and  the  boy  started  with  alacrity  to  make  the  neces- 
sary arrangements. 

In  about  an  hour  Hal  returned,  and  announced 
himself  ready  for  the  morrow's  hunt ;  seeing  how 
fatigued  and  weary  he  looked,  I  said  "  Now,  boys,  it's 
high  time  to  retire :  and  I  know  that  Hal  won't 
object  to  '  turning  in  '  early,  after  his  walk  to-day, 
especially  as  we  must  be  off  in  the  morning  in  right 
good  season  :  so  let's  to  bed  for  once,  before  the  fire 
burns  down ; "  and  in  ten  minutes  the  camp  was 
quiet. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

EARLY    RISING. MORNING   THE     BEST   TIME     FOR   GAME. 

THE     ANTELOPE. THE     BOYS*      SURPRISE.  SILE     TRIES 

HIS    LUCK.  SPECKLED    BEAUTIES    AND  RED  FLANNEL.  

HAL  THE    DOUBTER.  A   CHALLENGE. THE  FIRST  SHOT. 

AS  the  first  faint  streak  of  dawn  flashed  athwart 
the  eastern  sky,  the  following  morning,  the  boys 
were  astir. 

"  Ain't  you  up  rather  early  ?  "  inquired  I,  as  I 
heard  them  discussing  the  chances  of  the  coming 
day's  sport. 

"No,  sir:  I  don't  mean  to  be  behind  in  any  thing 
to-day,"  responded  Hal. 

"  We're  going  for  game,  we  are,"  put  in  Ned ;  "  and 
Sile  says  morning's  the  best  time  for  it." 

"  That's  no  reason  why  you  boys  should  disturb 
every  one  in  camp  by  getting  up  in  the  middle  of  the 
night ;  so  I  advise  you  either  to  go  back  to  bed  again, 
or  make  less  noise,"  said  I,  sleepily  turning  in  my 
blankets. 

"  Halloo !  what's  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Sile.  "  What's 
the  use  of  routin'  a  feller  out  at  this  time  er  night  ?  " 

268 


EARLY  RISING.  269 

"  Why,  we  are  going  out  on  a  hunt  to-day,  and 
want  to  be  in  season :  that's  all,"  responded  Ned. 

"  Wai,  I  advise  yer  tew  go  back  ter  bed  agin,  and 
stay  there,  for  you're  out  er  season  now,  anyhow," 
said  Sile. 

"  But  we  don't  want  to  go  back  to  bed :  we  are 
going  to  start  up  the  fire,  and  have  an  early  break- 
fast," replied  Hal. 

"  Then,  don't  make  any  more  noise  than  you  can 
help,  and  stop  your  talking,"  remarked  I,  by  way  of 
a  squelcher. 

The  boys  withdrew,  and  both  Sile  and  myself 
turned  over  for  another  nap.  We  had  not  been 
sleeping  long,  ere  I  was  aroused  by  the  discharge 
of  two  rifles,  —  not  a  very  startling  sound,  it  is  true, 
in  a  camp  like  ours :  still  it  awoke  me ;  and  being 
awake  I  sat  up  to  ascertain  the  cause,  fully  deter- 
mined to  give  the  boys  a  lecture  that  they  would 
not  soon  forget,  for  disturbing  us. 

While  waiting  to  catch  sight  of  them,  I  heard 
Hal's  voice  with  wonderful  distinctness,  saying,  — 

"I've  found  it,  Ned." 

And  a  few  minutes  later  I  heard  Ned  respond  in 
unmistakable  tones  of  triumph,  — 

"I've  found  mine  too,  Hal.  Won't  they  stare 
when  they  see  what  we've  made  by  getting  up  in  the 
morning?  Sile  said,  morning  was  the  best  time  for 
game,  and  I  believe  him." 

Supposing  that  they  might  have  shot  a  couple  of 
wild  geese,  immense  flocks  of  which  were  constantly 


270  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

flying  over,  I  laid  myself  down  once  more,  and  was 
soon  fast  asleep. 

When  I  again  awoke,  the  sun  was  just  peeping 
above  the  horizon,  gilding  the  summit  of  the  moun- 
tains about  us  with  a  halo  of  crimson  glory,  which 
penetrated  the  depths  of  the  vast  forest  extending 
far  up  their  rocky  sides,  and  awakening  to  life  and 
song  the  innumerable  dwellers  therein. 

Springing  to  my  feet,  I  was  for  the  instant  sur- 
prised and  bewildered  by  the  sight  of  the  carcasses 
of  two  antelope,  ready  dressed,  suspended  from  one 
of  the  limbs  of  the  tree  under  which  I  was  lying. 

For  an  instant  I  stood  trying  to  remember'  how 
they  came  there,  when  I  was  startled  by  the  shouts 
of  the  boys,  who  sprang  out  from  behind  the  trunk 
laughing  in  great  glee. 

"  Who  says  we  aren't  hunters  ?  "  demanded  Ned. 

"  What  have  I  always  said  about  my  shooting  ?  " 
queried  Hal. 

"  Please  tell  me  what  this  all  means,"  suggested  I. 

"  It  means  that  Hal  and  myself  have  begun  our 
day's  sport,"  replied  Ned. 

"  It  means  that  we  ain't  afraid  to  shoot  with  the 
best  of  you,"  responded  Hal,  evidently  very  much 
elated. 

"  Who  shot  those  antelope  ?  "  inquired  I,  a  little 
disposed  to  doubt  the  evidence  of  my  own  senses. 

"  We  did,  — Hal  and  I,"  responded  Ned. 

"  Who  dressed  them  ?  "  asked  I. 

"  Ned  and  I,"  answered  Hal. 


SILE   TRIES   HIS   LUCK.  271 

"  What !     Did  you  do  it  alone  ?  " 

"  No,  sir.  Sile  stood  by,  and  showed  us  how. 
"VVe  did  all  the  work  though,"  replied  Hal. 

"  You've  made  a  good  start,  boys.  Where  did 
you  find  them  ?  " 

"  We  saw  a  herd  feeding  down  yonder,  just  after 
we  got  up ;  but  we  didn't  know  what  they  were 
at  first:  and,  when  we  discovered,  we  crept  down 
through  the  tall  grass,  until  we  got  within  range, 
and  brought  those  two  fellows.  Ain't  they  fat  and 
nice,  though?"  explained  Ned,  proudly  caressing 
one  of  the  carcasses  with  his  hand. 

44  They  are  indeed.  If  you  boys  keep  on  as 
you've  begun,  you'll  beat  Sile  and  myself  all  hollow 
before  night,"  was  my  reply. 

44  That's  just  what  I  told  Ned,"  remarked  Hal  ; 
"  but  he  only  laughed  at  me." 

44  Hain't  them  boys  done  fust  rate  fur  a  begin- 
nin'  ?  "  inquired  Sile,  at  this  moment  approaching  us. 

"  Splendidly,"  was  my  reply.  "  They'll  beat  us, 
if  we  don't  look  out,  Sile." 

44  They  will,  sartin,  if  we  don't  git  to  work  afore 
a  great  while.  How's  this  fur  a  start?"  continued 
he,  holding  up  a  fine  string  of  speckled  trout,  which 
he  had  been  carrying  behind  him. 

44  Where  did  you  get  those  ?  "  inquired  I. 

44  Oh  !  what  are  they?  Where  did  you  catch  'em? " 
shouted  the  boys,  in  the  same  breath. 

44  They're  speckled  trout ;  and  I  ketched  'em  out 
er  the  brook  thar,"  was  the  answer. 


272  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Out  of  this  brook,  right  here  ?  " 

"  Sartiii  sure.  I  was  down  there,  and  seed  'em 
dartin'  back  and  forth  in  the  water ;  and,  thiukin'  a 
few  fish  might  be  good  for  a  sort  of  change  for 
breakfast,  I  stopped  and  ketched  'em." 

44  What  did  you  catch  'em  with  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 

"  A  hook  and  line,  of  course,"  responded  Sile. 

44  I  didn't  know  there  was  one  in  the  party,"  re- 
marked Hal. 

"  Ever  sence  I  larnt  tew  trap,  I  hain't  never  bin 
without  a  line  and  hooks,"  said  Sile,  producing  a 
small  silk  line  and  half  a  dozen  hooks  from  the 
pocket  of  his  hunting-shirt. 

"  If  I'd  known  there  were  trout  in  that  brook,  I'd 
had  a  mess  long  before  this,"  declared  Hal.  "  What 
did  you  use  for  bait  ?  worms  ?  " 

44  Worms  ?  "  repeated  Sile,  in  an  inquiring  tone. 
44  Where  would  I  git  worms,  I'd  like  to  know  ?  " 

44  Out  of  the  ground,  of  course,"  responded  Hal 
indignantly  :  "  you  don't  think  I  supposed  they  grew 
on  trees,  do  you  ?  " 

44  I'll  give  y6r  a  ninepence  apiece  for  all  the  angle- 
worms you'll  find  atween  now  and  night,"  remarked 
Sile. 

44  You  will,  and  won't  back  down,  Sile  Carter  ?  " 
anxiously  queried  the  boy. 

44  Sartin,  sure ;  I  don't  never  back  down  on  my 
word,"  responded  Sile. 

44  111  find  you  worms  enough  to  take  what  money 
you've  got  with  you,"  declared  Hal,  starting  up. 


SPECKLED   BEAUTIES   AND  RED   FLANNEL.      273 

"  Hold  on  a  minute,  Hal,"  interrupted  I.  "  I'm 
ashamed  of  you.  Don't  you  know  that  you  can't 
find  angle-worms  in  the  wilderness, — that  they 
always  follow,  never  precede,  civilization?" 

"  Why,  when  I  was  with  the  Apaches  in  Texas,  I 
used  to  see  plenty  of  'em,"  declared  Hal. 

"  Think  again  ;  are  you  sure  ?  for  I  have  never 
known  them  to  be  found  in  a  wilderness  or  unsettled 
country,  in  my  life.  However,  you  can  try  for 
them  while  Sile  has  the  fish  cooked  for  breakfast: 
that's  by  far  the  most  important  consideration  at 
present." 

"  I  can  prove  your  theory  wrong  in  five  minutes," 
remarked  Hal,  going  in  search  of  the  spade. 

"  I  should  be  very  glad  to  be  set  right,"  said  I. 

"  While  Hal  is  a-findin'  them  angle-worms,  I'll  go 
and  cook  these  trout  myself,  'cause  I  never  knowed 
a  Mexican,  cook  fish  decent ;  leastways,  nothing  but 
catfish,"  remarked  Sile,  starting  towards  the  camp- 
fire. 

"  I  thought  we  were  going  to  get  such  an  early 
start,  this  morning,"  said  Ned  ;  "  but  -llere  it  is  after 
sunrise,  and  we  haven't  even  had  breakfast  yet." 

"  I'm  afraid  the  delay  has  been  caused  by  my  lazi- 
ness, Ned.  I  slept  later  than  usual.  I  reckon  we 
shall  find  the  day  long  enough  before  we  return, 
however,"  said  I. 

"  I  believe  I  should  given  the  same  answer  that 
Hul  did,  if  any  one  had  asked  me  about  angle- 
worms," said  Ned. 


274  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  I've  never  found  them  in  a  new  country ;  and 
settlers  and  trappers  have  always  told  me  that  they 
have  never  seen  them  there.  You'd  better  think 
again,  and  see  if  you  can  remember  having  found 
them." 

44  Well,  what  kind  of  bait  did  he  use  ?  " 

"  He  probably  cut  a  bit  of  red  flannel  from  his 
shirt.  Trout  are  not  nearly  so  fastidious  in  the 
wilderness  as  in  the  thicker-settled  portions  of  the 
country." 

"  I  mean  to  go  and  ask  him,"  said  Ned,  starting  in 
the  direction  of  the  camp-fire,  where  Sile  was  busily 
at  work  cooking  his  fish. 

In  a  few  minutes,  Ned  shouted,  "  Breakfast !  " 

We  had  hardly  seated  ourselves  to  partake  of  it, 
ere  Hal  made  his  appearance  with  his  spade  upon  his 
shoulder,  saying,  — 

"I  don't  give  it  up  yet;  but  I  ain't  going  to  be 
cheated  out  of  my  breakfast  for  all  the  angle- worms 
in  California." 

"  Satisfy  yourself,  Hal :  that's  always  the  better 
way,"  remarked  I. 

44  Sile  did  bait  his  hook  with  red  flannel,"  said 
Ned,  addressing  me. 

Hal  was  holding  a  trout  by  the  tail,  but  stopped 
in  the  act  of  conveying  it  to  his  mouth,  and  with  a 
look  of  astonishment  said,  — 

44  Baited  his  hook  with  what  ?  " 

44  Red  flannel,"  replied  Ned. 

44  You  ain't  such  a  goose  as  to  believe  that  yarn, 
are  you,  Ned  Brown  ?  "  queried  Hal. 


HAL  THE  DOUBTER.  275 

"  I  believe  what  Sile  says,  of  course,"  answered 
Ned. 

"  Well,  I  don't,"  retorted  Hal.  "  I've  caught  too 
many  of  'em  myself,  to  swallow  that  nonsense.  I 
never  heard  of  such  a  thing  before." 

"Likely's  not,"  replied  Sile.  "I  guess  thar's  a 
good  many  things  you  never  heerd  on,  'bout  roughin* 
it  or  ketchin'  fish,  either,  for  that  matter." 

"  You  can't  teach  me  any  thing  about  fishing  for 
trout,  Sile  Carter.  There  was  a  trout-stream  within 
a  mile  of  my  father's  house  in  Berkshire  County, 
that  I've  fished  in  many  a  time,"  replied  Hal. 

41  Maybe,"  said  Sile  ;  "  but,  you  see,  trout  out  in 
this  country  ain't  much  like  them  in  Massachusetts : 
they  ain't  so  used  ter  dodgin'.  I  dunno  how  'tis  in 
Berkshire  County,  but  down  in  Maine  there  used 
tew  be  two  fishermen  to  every  trout." 

44  I'm  ready  for  a  start  after  that  shot,"  cried  Ned, 
jumping  up. 

"And  so  am  I,"  was  my  response. 

Ned  and  myself  left  Sile  explaining  to  Hal  the 
philosophy  of  fishing  on  the  frontier,  while  we  went 
after  our  rifles  and  equipment,  and  on  our  return 
found  Hal,  expressing  a  desire  to  try  fishing  for  trout 
with  "  Sile's  new-fashioned  bait." 

44  It  seems  to  me,  Hal,  that  you  have  laid  out  a 
pretty  good  day's  work,"  said  1 :  44  between  digging 
for  angle- worms,  fishing  for  trout,  and  hunting  in 
the  mountains,  you'll  have  your  hands  full,  won't 
you?" 


276  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Oh !  I  don't  expect  to  do  every  thing  to-day," 
replied  he.  "I  shall  have  plenty  of  time  after  I 
get  back  from  the  hunt." 

When  at  last  we  were  ready  for  a  start,  I  found 
that  the  boys,  who  were  greatly  elated  at  their  suc- 
cess of  the  morning,  had  been  arranging  a  plan  of 
operations  which  was  soon  formally  announced  by 
Hal,  —  himself  and  Ned,  proposing  to  shoot  against 
Sile  and  myself. 

At  first  I  was  inclined  to  humor  the  proposition  as 
quite  a  joke,  but  soon  became  convinced  that  they 
were  in  downright  earnest  about  it. 

I  endeavored  to  show  them  what  I  regarded  as  the 
absurdity  of  the  plan,  telling  them  that  the  forest 
was  a  vast  one,  in  which  they  were  likely  to  get  lost, 
or  meet  with  wild  animals  with  which  they  would 
be  unable  to  successfully  cope. 

They  asserted  that  there  was  not  the  slightest  dan- 
ger of  their  getting  lost,  as  they  should  never  be  out 
of  hearing  of  the  sound  of  our  rifles,  and  could 
easily  call  us  in  case  they  should  meet  with  any  thing 
in  the  shape  of  wild  animals  that  they  could  not 
overcome. 

"  Let  'em  try  it,  squire,"  whispered  Sile.  "  They'll 
get  sick  of  it  afore  they've  bin  out  two  hours ;  and 
you  might  talk  from  now  till  night,  yer  couldn't 
convince  'em  er  nothin'.  As  my  old  mother  used  ter 
say,  '  the  least  said,  the  soonest  mended.'  ' 

"  But  suppose  they  get  lost,  Sile  ?  " 

"  I  don't  b'lieve  there's  any  danger,  but  if  they  do 
we  kin  find  'em." 


THE  FIRST   SHOT.  277 

"  If  they  should  happen  to  meet  a  grizzly  ?  " 

"  They'll  let  it  alone,  you  bet,"  confidingly  asserted 
Sile  ;  "and,  if  they  do,  'twon't  bother  'em." 

"  It  would  be  just  like  Hal  to  attempt  to  capture 
it  alive,"  said  I,  laughing. 

"  Talkin'  'bout  capturin'  a  grizzly  and  doin'  it's, 
two  things.  Hal's  fust-rate  at  talkin'  'bout  what  he 
will  do  ;  so  I  say,  give  the  boys  a  chance." 

"  Well,  if  they  go,  Sile,  you  must  take  the  respon- 
sibility, for  I  don't  care  to  assume  it." 

"  All  right,  boys,"  said  Sile,  turning  towards  them. 
"  The  squire  says  yer  may  go.  Here's  my  pocket- 
compass  ;  get  the  bearin's  er  camp,  and  be  sure  and 
meet  us  here  at  four  o'clock,  and  don't  git  out  'er  the 
sound  of  our  rifles." 

Away  started  the  boys  in  high  glee,  declaring 
that  they  would  show  us  what  hunting  meant,  before 
night. 

As  Sile  and  myself  slowly  made  our  way  up  the 
mountain's  side,  he  remarked,  — 

"  I  declare,  if  'tain't  'sprisin' ;  now,  who'd  thought 
that  boy  Ned  could  ever  hev  bin  got  to  start  on 
sich  a  lark  as  he's  gone  on  ter-day  ?  I  wouldn't  hev 
b'lieved  it.  I  s'pose  though,  Hal's  kinder  made  him 
think  he  kin  do  most  any  thing  sence  they  shot  their 
antelope  this  mornin'." 

"  They  did  well,  Sile.  I  had  no  idea  of  it  until  1 
saw  them  hanging,  all  dressed." 

"  Yes,  they  was  a-laffin'  tew  think  how  s'prised 
you'd  be  when  you  waked  up.  Halloo !  look  at  that 


278  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

now,  "  said  Sile,  bringing  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder ; 
the  next  instant  a  fine  grouse  came  tumbling  down 
from  the  top  of  a  small  pine. 

"  I  didn't  know  as  we  were  to  count  grouse,"  said 
I,  laughing. 

"  Every  thing  with  legs,  is  the  rule  in  this  coun- 
try," replied  Sile,  reloading  his  rifle. 

A  moment  later  we  heard  a  loud  "  Halloo ! "  Sile 
answered,  asking,  u  What  do  you  want  ?  " 

And  in  a  few  minutes  both  boys  came  rushing 
breathlessly  through  the  bushes,  shouting  at  the  top 
of  their  voice,  — 

"  What'd  you  shoot?  what'd  you  shoot  ?" 

Waiting  until  they  had  nearly  reached  us,  Sile 
held  up  the  grouse,  saying,  "  This  ere's.the  critter." 

"Pshaw!  is  that  all?"  inquired  Ned. 

"  I  could  have  killed  half  a  dozen  of  those  fellows 
if  I'd  been  a  mind  to,"  remarked  Hal. 

"  Every  thing  that  wears  legs,  is  the  rule  in  this 
country,"  responded  Sile. 

"  All  right ;  now  that  we  know  it,  we'll  give  you 
enough  of  it  before  night,"  said  Hal.  "  Come  on, 
Ned !  " 

"  I  believe  I'd  rather  stay,  and  we'll  hunt  all  to- 
gether," remarked  Ned,  in  reply  to  Hal's  solicita- 
tion. 

"  That's  just  like  you,  Ned  Brown :  we've  got  a 
chance  to  show  that  we're  as  good  hunters  as  any 
one,  and  you  are  afraid  to  try  it,"  urged  Hal. 

"  I  ain't  afraid ;  but  I  believe  we  should  have  a 


279 

good  deal  more  fun  if  we  all  stuck  together,"  replied 
Ned. 

"  Oh,  nonsense  !  come  on,"  cried  Hal  rather  impa- 
tiently.    "  We'll  beat  'em  :  I  feel  it  in  my  bones." 

Thus  urged,  Ned  reluctantly  threw  his  rifle  over* 
his  shoulder,  and  the  two  disappeared  in  the  forest. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

OUR  GAME.  -  WE  CALL  THE  BOYS.  -  IN  CAMP.  -  LOST.  - 
THE  EFFECT  OF  A  BLUNDERBUSS.  -  A  SLEEPLESS  NIGHT. 
-  ON  THE  TRAIL.  -  THE  LITTLE  LAKE.  -  THE  CAMP- 
FIRE.  -  THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  PIKE.  -  HAL  DIS- 
COURSES. -  FOUND.  -  " 
REFUSED  TO  GUIDE  US  IN. 


b'ars,  a  fox,  two  deers,  four  wolves,  and  a 
-L  even  eight  pair  er  grouse,"  said  Sile,  counting 
over  our  game  while  we  were  making  ready  for  our 
return  to  camp,  late  that  afternoon.  "  Not  so  bad  a 
show,  arter  all  :  we'd  do  better  ter-morrow.  We've 
got  the  ears  er  them  bars  and  wolves,  the  tail  er  the 
fox  [sticking  it  in  the  band  of  his  hat],  two  saddles 
er  venison,  and  the  grouse  ;  and  I  guess  they'll 
make  'bout  as  big  a  load  as  me'n  you'll  want  tew 
pack  inter  camp  ter-night,  ef  'tis  all  the  way  down 
hill.  I  guess  afore  we  start,  we'd  better  gin  them 
boys  a  call  ;  and  maybe,  I  shouldn't  be  much  s'prised 
if  they  was  so  light  loaded  theirselves,  they  could 
help  us  pack  some  er  our  grub  in." 

Whereupon  we  discharged  our  rifles  three  times 
in  rapid  succession,  and  waited  for  a  response. 

280 


A  STKEAK.  281 

None  came. 

We  repeated  the  call,  and  again  listened  for  the 
reply  ;  but  the  echo  of  our  own  shots,  reverberating 
among  the  crags  upon  the  mountain-side,  and  finally 
dying  away  in  the  distance,  was  our  only  answer. 

I  looked  towards  Sile,  who  was  busily  engaged  in 
tying  one  of  the  saddles  of  venison  over  his  shoul- 
der, and  said,  — 

"  Funny  they  don't  answer  ;  ain't  it  ?  " 

"  I  guess  they  got  kinder  tired  er  shootin'  by 
theirselves,  and  hev  gone  down  tew  camp :  we  hain't 
heerd  'em  shoot  once  ter  day,  hev  we  ?  "  asked  he  as 
we  slowly  started  along. 

44 1  haven't,"  said  I  "  and  that  seems  to  me  rather 
strange." 

"  That's  why  I  kinder  think  they've  gone  inter 
camp ;  'cause  Hal  would  hev  shot  at  somethin',  if  it 
hed  bin  his  shadder." 

44 1  reckon  we  shall  find  them  there,  for  I  fear  they 
haven't  had  very  good  luck,"  remarked  I. 

44  Considerin'  thar's  so  many  signs  er  game  'bout, 
we,  hain't  hed  no  sort  er  luck  ter  day,"  replied  Sile : 
44  still  it's  better'n  nothin'.  Thar's  some  days  when 
ther  best  on  'em  don't  see  nothin'  bigger'n  a  chip- 
per. It's  all  a  streak,  anyhow." 

44  What  shall  we  do,  Sile,  if  we  don't  find  'em  in 
camp  ?  I'm  half  afraid  they've  met  with  some  mis- 
hap," remarked  I. 

44 1  guess  they're  thar,  sure  enuff,"  was  the  reply. 
"  'Tain't  best  tew  borrow  trouble,  nohow :  it  allers 


282  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

comes  fast  enuff.  If  they  ain't  thar,  we'll  hev  to  find 
'em,  that's  all." 

"  It  was  a  foolish  idea,  their  starting  out  alone  :  I 
ought  never  to  have  permitted  it,"  said  I. 

"  What's  done  can't  be  helped  ;  'tain't  no  use  tew 
cry  for  spilt  milk  :  if  they've  got  lost,  we  must  find 
'em ;  "  and  Sile  strode  on  at  a  pace  that  required  no 
small  exertion  on  my  part  to  keep  up  with  him. 

"  They  took  that  pocket-compass,  and  you  showed 
them  how  to  take  their  bearings,  didn't  you  ?  "  in- 
quired I. 

"  Sartin  I  did.  We  shall  know  in  a  few  minutes 
now  ;  thar's  the-  smoke  from  our  camp-fire,"  said 
Sile,  pointing  to  a  thin  column  of  light  smoke  curl- 
ing up  from  a  point  far  below  us.  "  They  hain't 
had  nothin'  tew  do  with  that  fire  though,  I  know." 

"  How  do  you  know  that  ?  "  said  I. 

"  'Cause  it's  a  Mexican  smoke,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Well,  Mexican  smoke  or  not,  I'll  have  to  put 
this  saddle  of  venison  down,  and  rest  a  few  minutes : 
you're  walking  awfully  fast,"  remarked  I. 

Sile  unslung  the  venison  from  his  shoulder,  and, 
laying  the  grouse  beside  it,  threw  himself  down  upon 
the  hillside,  and,  after  a  few  moments'  silence,  turned 
towards  me,  and  said,  "  Yer  see,  a  Injun  allers  builds 
his  fire  er  dry  twigs,  and  »sich  stuff  as  don't  make 
much  smoke ;  leastways  he  does  onless  he's  tele- 
graphin',  and  smoke's  what  he's  arter.  Wai,  a  Mex- 
ican won't  use  nothin'  but  dry  wood  neither,  but 
he  burns  branches  and  bigger  sticks  than  a  Injun, 


LOST.  283 

'cause  he  won't  take  the  trouble  tew  pick  up  so 
much  small  stuff;  but  a  'Merican'll  pile  on  any  thing 
that'll  burn,  green  or  dry,  and  ther  nat'ral  conse- 
quence is,  he  makes  a  big  smoke  that  allers  shows 
whar  his  camp  is.  Injuns  allers  laugh  at  us  Yankees, 
'cause  they  say  we  build  sich  big  fires,  ther  can't 
nobody  sit  near  enuff  tew  'em  ter  git  warm.  S'posin' 
we  go  along  down  :  be  yer  rested  yet  ?  " 

I  replied,  that  I  was,  and  we  once  more  started. 
In  half  an  hour  we  reached  camp.  My  first  ques- 
tion was,  — 

"  Where  are  the  boys,  Juan  ?  " 

"  Quien  sabe,  senor?"1  was  the  answer. 

Throwing  our  burdens  upon  the  ground,  we  looked 
one  another  in  the  face.  -Neither  of  us  spoke  for  at 
least  a  minute  ;  then  I  said,  — 

"  They're  lost,  Sile  :  what  shall  we  do  ?  " 

"  Find  'em,"  was  the  laconic  answer. 

"  What's  the  first  thing  to  do  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  Wai,  the  fust  thing  is  tew  git  our  supper.  While 
we're  eatin'  it,  I'll  send  Juan  up  ter  that  big  rock 
yonder  with  his  old  escopeta,  and  they  can't  help 
hearin'  it,  if  they're  on  this  side  er  the  mountain." 

"  And  alive,"  added  I. 

"  Nonsense,  squire  !  of  course  they're  alive.  Why 
shouldn't  they  be  ?" 

"  I  certainly  can't  answer  that ;  but  I  have  a  sort 
of  feeling  that  they've  met  with  some  accident,  and 
we  ought  to  start  out  in  search  of  them  at  once." 

1  "Who  knows,  sir  ? 


284  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  We  shouldn't  do  nothin'  if  we  did,  'cause  it's 
nigh  'bout  dark  now.  We'll  hev  tew  wait  till  morn- 
in',  anyway,  and  we  may  as  well  make  the  best  on't." 

A  moment's  reflection  convinced  me  that  Sile  was 
right,  and  we  must  wait  till  daylight  if  we  hoped  to 
accomplish  any  thing. 

In  the  mean  time,  Juan  mounted  the  rock  with  his 
escopeta,  and,  turning  its  huge  muzzle  towards  the 
head  of  the  ravine,  discharged  it. 

The  report  sounded  like  that  of  a  small  cannon. 
The  silence  of  the  grave  followed  it  for  a  single  in- 
stant; and  then  we  heard  it  echoing  and  reverber- 
ating among  the  far-away  cliffs  and  crags,  now  loud 
and  clear,  again  faint  and  indistinct,  dying  away  in 
the  distance  into  a  feeble  and  confused  murmur,  to 
be  suddenly  caught  and  for  a  moment  retained  by 
some  overhanging  precipice,  then  hurled  back  by  an 
invisible  power,  to  once  more  echo  and  re-echo  loud- 
er and  louder,  sharper  and  sharper,  clearer  and  clear- 
er, until  finally  it  ceased,  and  profound  silence  once 
more  environed  us. 

Breathlessly  we  listened  for  a  response.  The  echo 
was  gone,  and  the  stillness  of  death  had  settled  over 
and  about  us. 

Again  and  again  did  Juan  discharge  his  musket. 

Again  and  again  did  we  anxiously  listen  for  an 
answer,  to  be  as  frequently  disappointed. 

At  last  I  said,  — 

"  It's  no  use,  Sile.  They  would  certainly  have 
heard  those  reports  if  they  are  alive." 


A  SLEEPLESS   NIGHT.  285 

"  Or  hadn't  got  'round  on  .t'other  side  ther  moun- 
tain," interrupted  Sile.  "  That  Hal's  a  master  hand 
tew  'speriment.  We'll  take  their  trail  in  ther  raorn- 
in'  from  that  place  whar  I  shot  that  fust  grouse,  and 
'twon't  be  many  hours  afore  we'll  overhaul  'em,  you 
bet.  Leastways  we  can't  do  nothin'  ter-night,  can 
we  ?  So  we  may  as  well  make  the  best  on't,  and 
rest  easy." 

Sile's  advice  was  good.  I  knew  it,  but  found  it 
impossible  to  act  upon  it ;  for,  do  what  I  would,  my 
thoughts  dwelt  constantly  upon  the  boys. 

I  knew  something  of  the  perils  to  which  they 
would  be  exposed,  passing  the  night  alone  in  this 
vast  forest ;  and  I  feared  for  their  safety. 

44 1  ain't  half  so  anxious  'bout  'em  as  I  should  be 
if  Ned  wa'n't  along:  he's  a  kind  er  balance-wheel 
tew  t'other  one ;  and  with  sich  a  night  as  this,  why, 
it  couldn't  hurt  a  baby  to  sleep  out,"  remarked  Sile. 

44  I'm  not  afraid  of  any  thing  but  their  meeting 
wild  beasts,"  said  I. 

44  Thar  ain't  .one  chance  in  a  dozen  of  thar  meetin' 
any  thing  that'll  hurt  'em.  'Cause  yew  happened  tew 
git  'mongst  a  pack  of  wolves  t'other  night,  you 
needn't  'spect  they're  allus  hangin'  round.  I'll  risk 
'em.  I  ain't  no  ways  'larmed  'bout  that." 

In  conversation  like  this,  passed  the  long  hours 
until  bedtime  ;  it  was  evident  that,  notwithstanding 
his  assumed  indifference,  Sile  was  very  uneasy.  A 
dozen  times  had  he  started  up  and  abruptly  gone  out 
to  consult  with  Juan  or  one  of  the  arrieros,  and  a 


286  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

dozen  times  had  he  returned  without  deriving  any 
satisfaction  from  his  conference  with  them. 

At  last  we  went  to  bed,  but  not  to  sleep.  That 
"  sweet  restorer  "  visited  not  our  eyes  during  the 
long  and  weary  watches  of  the  night.  With  the  first 
signs  of  dawn,  one  of  the  arrieros  was  sent  to  the  top 
of  the  highest  eminence,  in  the  hope  that  his  keen 
eyes  might  detect  some  traces  of  their  whereabouts, 
through  the  smoke  from  their  camp-fire.  He  re- 
turned in  a  couple  of  hours,  saying  that  there  was  "  a 
white  man's  smoke  "  far  to  the  south  of  us,  in  an  en- 
tirely different  direction  from  that  taken  by  the  boys 
when  they  left. 

As.  soon  as  we  could  fairly  see  to  distinguish  any 
tracks  in  the  forest,  four  of  us  set  out  in  the  hope  of 
discovering  their  trail  ;  agreeing  that  the  signal  of 
the  first  sign  should  be  the  discharge  of  three  cham- 
bers of  a  revolver,  in  rapid  succession. 

We  had  gone  barely  half  a  mile  from  camp,  when 
we  were  suddenly  brought  to  a  halt  by  hearing  the 
hoped-for  signal.  We  all  started  in  the  direction 
from  whence  the  sound  came  ;  and  in  a  few  moments 
reached  a  spot  where  Juan  had  discovered  the  trail 
of  two  persons,  which  crossed  a  small  piece  of  moist 
land. 

Sile  immediately  pronounced  the  tracks  to  be  those 
of  the  boys,  made  recently,  but  leading  towards  the 
south,  instead  of  the  north-east,  the  supposed  course 
taken  by  them. 

After  a  consultation  with  the   Mexican,  Sile  de- 


ON  THE  TRAIL.  287 

cided  to  take  the  trail  from  that  point,  and  on  it  we 
started.  Occasionally  Juan  would  discharge  his 
escopeta;  but  it  brought  no  answer  save  its  own  echo, 
or  the  cry  of  some  bird,  frightened  from  its  resting- 
place  by  the  terrible  and  unusual  sound  which  pene- 
trated every  portion  of  the  vast  solitude  about  us. 

After  proceeding  in  this  way  for  more  than  an 
hour,  Sile,  who  was  in  the  advance,  paused,  and, 
pointing  to  a  spot  beneath  a  tall  pine,  carefully 
examined  the  ground  about  it,  all  the  while  talking 
with  Juan.  After  a  little,  he  turned  to  me,  and 
said, — 

"  They  stopped  a  while  to  rest  here,  squire  :  thar 
ain't  no  doubt  about  that.  Here's  whar  they  sot, 
and  thar's  ther  mark  whar  they  sot  their  rifles,  with 
the  muzzles  leanin'  agin  the  tree  :  it's  all  fresh  too, 
like  as  though  'twas  made  yesterday  afternoon.  But 
I  can't  see  what  they're  doin'  down  here.  Juan 
thinks  they  started  for  camp,  and  went  by,  within 
half  a  mile  of  it :  it  does  look  so,  that's  a  fact ;  but  I 
can't  hardly  b'lieve  it.  However,  we're  on  the  right 
trail,  thar  ain't  no  two  ways  'bout  that :  so  we'd  bet- 
ter git  on  as  fast  as  we  kin." 

Again  we  started,  following  the  tracks  through  the 
underbrush  which  each  moment  grew  thicker  and 
more  dense,  obliging  us  to  proceed  slowly,  although 
the  footprints  were  more  clearly  defined,  owing  to 
the  dampness  of  the  ground  in  which  they  were 
embedded. 

Following  them  for  some  time,  we  suddenly  came 


288  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

to  the  shores  of  a  small  lake  of  beautifully  clear 
water,  on  the  pebbly  beach  of  which,  at  a  distance 
of  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  spot  where  we 
stood,  were  to  be  seen  the  still  smoking  embers  of  a 
camp-fire. 

Hurrying  towards  it  we  found  every  proof  that 
the  boys  had  passed  the  night  there  ;  among  them, 
the  feathers  that  had  been  plucked  from  a  grouse, 
also  the  sticks  upon  which  portions  had  been  broiled 
over  the  fire. 

"  They're  all  right,  squire,"  said  Sile,  with  glad- 
ness in  his  tones :  "  with  plenty  of  grouse  tew  eat, 
and  water  tew  drink,  thar  ain't  no  sort  er  danger  of 
thar  dyin',  you  bet." 

"  My  mind  is  certainly  very  much  relieved,"  said 
I ;  "  but  the  question  still  is,  where  are  they  now  ?  " 

"  We'll  have  Juan  give  'em  a  shot  with  that  'er 
blunderbuss  er  his'n  once  more :  that'll  fetch  'em," 
replied  Sile. 

At  this  moment  the  Mexican  came  up  with  the 
information  that  his  campaniero l  had  discovered  a 
cattle-trail  leading  from  the  shore  into  the  woods, 
and  that  he  had  discovered  the  boys'  tracks  upon  the 
dust  of  this  trail. 

We  immediately  sought  the  trail,  and  on  following 
it  for  about  half  a  mile,  suddenly  came  upon  a  small 
open  place,  in  the  midst  of  which  we  saw  four  or 
five  bronco  horses,  quietly  feeding  with  a  couple  of 
cows,  an  old  steer,  and  half  a  dozen  yearling  calves. 

1  Companion. 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  PIKE.  289 

Between  two  old  and  well-worn  wagons  was  burn- 
ing a  small  fire,  beside  which  were  a  few  old  cook- 
ing-utensils, and  over  them  was  squatting  a  very 
seedy-looking  old  man,  "  bent,  slim,  and  hollow."  At 
a  little  distance,  there  stood  a  tall,  angular,  gaunt- 
looking  female,  arrayed  in  a  faded,  limp  calico  gown, 
with  an  antiquated  pasteboard  sun-bonnet  upon  her 
head,  puffing  away  at  an  old  clay  pipe,  well  black- 
ened with  age,  while,  like  the  old  man,  she  was 
attentively  listening  to  the  two  boys ;  who,  seated  in 
low,  straight-backed,  splint-bottomed  chairs,  were 
evidently  explaining  the  circumstance  of  their  ap- 
pearance in  the  camp. 

I  was  so  overjoyed  at  the  sight  of  them,  that  I  was 
about  to  rush  forward,  but  was  detained  by  a  motion 
from  Sile,  who  whispered  in  my  ear,  "Pikes,  for 
sartin." 

For  an  instant  I  was  at  a  loss  to  comprehend  his 
meaning ;  then  it  flashed  through  my  mind  that  by 
the  term  "  Pike,"  l  in  California,  was  meant  that  class 
of  poor  whites  who  had  emigrated  to  the  country 
from  many  of  the  Southern  States,  and  were  shiftless, 
uneasy  creatures,  travelling  about  and  living  in 
their  wagons,  rarely  ever  known  to  do  an  hour's 
work  ;  stopping  here  to-day,  moving  on  to-morrow, 
but  always  bearing  off  the  palm  for  owning  the  most 
prolific  cattle  in  the  world ;  every  cow  or  steer  pro- 
ducing from  four  to  five  calves  a  year,  which  a 

1  The  name  given  to  many  of  the  first  emigrants  to  the  State, 
who  found  their  way  there  from  Pike  County,  Missouri. 


290  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  Pike  "  never  found  any  trouble  in  converting  into 
bacon,  coffee,  or  sugar,  as  the  needs  of  his  family- 
required. 

"  So  the  boys  have  found  their  friends  from  Pike, 
have  they  ?  "  said  I,  laughing  outright  from  joy  at 
the  sight  of  them. 

"  See  them  young  ones,"  remarked  Sile,  pointing 
to  seven  or  eight  half-naked,  dirty  little  brats,  who 
were  peering  out  at  the  strangers  from  behind  the 
wagons,  evidently  scared  nearly  out  of  their  wits  at 
the  sight  of  them. 

"Come  on;  let's  go  forward,"  said  I,  impatiently 
addressing  Sile. 

As  we  emerged  from  the  woods,  the  children  were 
the  first  to  discern  our  approach  ;  but,  like  young 
partridges,  fled  to  cover  without  uttering  a  warning 
note. 

Next  the  old  man  saw  us.  Straightening  his  tall, 
bent  form,  and  shading  his  eyes  from  the  glaring 
sunlight  with  his  hand,  he  looked  steadily  for  a 
moment,  and  then,  grasping  the  barrel  of  his  long 
Kentucky  rifle,  he  shouted  in  a  hoarse  voice,  — 

"  Stan'  off  yar,  strangers  !  " 

This  at  once  attracted  Hal  and  Ned's  attention ; 
who,  upon  looking  around,  sprang  to  their  feet,  and 
rushed  towards  us,  laughing,  shouting,  and  crying,  at 
the  same  moment. 

"  Whar's  yer  game  ? "  asked  Sile  as  unconcern- 
edly as  possible,  and  speaking  as  though  we  had  but 
just  returned  from  the  hunt.  "  We've  come  tew 


HAL  DISCOURSES.  291 

count  up  with  yer ; "  then,  without  waiting  for  their 
answer,  he  walked  towards  the  old  man,  who  still 
stood  as  though  half  expecting  an  attack,  and  held 
out  his  hand,  exclaiming,  — 

44  How  d'y,  old  pard  ?     Pre-emptin',  hey  ?  " 

"  What  are  you  doing  so  far  from  camp,  boys  ?  " 
said  I,  speaking  in  as  natural  a  tone  as  I  could  com- 
mand. 

44  Why,  we  got  lost,  and  couldn't  find  the  camp 
last  night,"  said  Ned.  44  How'd  you  find  us  so 
quick?  We  haven't  been  here  more  than  half  an 
hour." 

44  That's  just  like  you,  Ned  Brown,  to  say  we 
were  lost.  We  weren't  lost  any  more  than  we  are 
now,"  said  Hal. 

44  Well,  where  are  we  now,  Hal?  I'm  sure  I 
don't  know,"  said  I,  appealing  to  him.  44  What  sent 
you  here  instead  of  into  camp  ?  I'd  like  to  know 
that." 

44  Why,  you  see  we  made  a  big  tramp  yesterday, 
and  camped  last  night  on  the  shores  of  a  real  pretty 
little  lake,  and  this  morning  made  up  our  minds  to 
stop  and  talk  with  the  old  man  here,  and  get  some- 
thing to  eat,  before  we  started  for  camp." 

44 1  think  you  were  very  wise,  Hal,"  said,  I  laugh- 
ing. 44  Well  hear  your  story  by  and  by.  I  must  go 
and  speak  to  the  old  man  now,  for  I  see  Sile  is  beck- 
oning to  me." 

I  at  once  asked  the  wife,  who  still  stood  watching 
us  intently,  and  puffing  away  at  her  pipe,  if  she 


292  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

could  not  provide  something  for  the  boys  to  eat, 
promising  to  pay  her  liberally  therefor.  In  a  reason- 
ably short  time,  some  bacon  and  corn-pone  and  a 
cup  of  tea  were  served  on  a  board  which  answered 
for  a  table,  supported  upon  one  of  the  wagon- 
tongues  ;  and,  from  the  way  the  boys  devoured  the 
provisions,  the  most  casual  observer  would  have 
become  convinced  that  substance,  not  style,  was 
their  greatest  need. 

Meanwhile  I  had  been  conversing  with  the  ancient 
"Pike,"  who  informed  me  that  he  had  "bin  a-livin' 
in  them  yar  wagons  er  his' en  for  eight  year :  he'd 
kinder  got  sot  ter  stay  a  heap  er  times ;  but  somehow 
either  ther  old  woman  took  sick,  or  neighbors  begun 
ter  come  in,  or  suthin'  or  other  turned  up  ter  start 
him  on.  He'd  just  found  this  yar  place,  but  reck- 
oned may  be  'twan't  healthy  ;  'peared  like  thar  might 
be  shakes  round,  so  he  'lowed  he'd  hev  ter  move  on 
afore  long." 

The  boys  having  finished  their  meal,  I  cheerfully 
paid  the  old  woman  the  half-dollar  demanded,  and 
was  extremely  sorry  to  be  unable  to  comply  with  her 
request  for  "  'bacca  ;  "  but  unfortunately  not  one  in 
the  party  had  a  supply  with  them. 

Bidding  the  "Pikes"  a  hearty  good-by,  we  left 
them  to  move  on  in  search  of  a  locality  where  the 
"  old  woman  wouldn't  take  sick,  and  thar  was  no 
danger  of  ther  shakes,"  while  we  took  up  our  line 
of  march  for  camp. 

Upon  reaching  the  shores  of  the  lake,  I  said,  — 


WHY  HAL  REFUSED   TO   GUIDE   US   IN.         293 

"  Come,  Hal,  you  must  show  us  the  way  to  camp 
now." 

"  Me !  "  exclaimed  the  boy,  "  me,  show  you  the 
way  ?  Why  don't  Sile  do  it  ?  " 

"  Perhaps,  like  myself,  he  don't  know  where  we 
are,"  replied  I. 

"  It  ain't  my  business  to  guide  the  party  to  camp  ; 
but  if  Sile  says  he  can't  do  it,  I'll  try,"  said  Hal. 

At  this  moment,  we  saw  Sile,  who  had  tarried  be- 
hind to  converse  with  the  old  woman,  coming  up ; 
but,  before  I  had  an  opportunity  to  explain,  Hal 
said, — 

"  Sile,  do  you  know  the  way  back  to  camp  from 
this  place  ?  " 

"  Why,  in  course  I  do,"  was  the  reply. 

Whereupon  without  further  remark,  we  started, 
"  homeward  bound." 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE   PROOFS.  —  HAL'S   EXPLANATION.  —  HOW  TO   COOK 
GROUSE.  -  ON   THE   ROAD.  -  CAMP.  -  DENNIS   BURKE 

AGAIN.  -  "THE  OULD  MAN*S  IN  THE  HURRY."  -  OLD 
MAVERICK'S  RANCH.  —  THE  CATTLE.  —  SENOR  ESCARRITO. 
-  CALIFORNIA  AS  IT  WAS.  -  THE  CONTRAST  UNDER 

AMERICAN  RULE.  -  READY  FOR  A  START  AT  LAST. 


"  "VTER  see,"  said  Sile,  poking  the  fire  with  a  long 

-*-  stick,  and  sending  up  shower  after  shower  of 
sparks,  supplemented  by  a  bright  blaze  that  made  our 
camp  as  light  as  da}s  "yer  see,  we've  got  tew  settle 
yet.  I'm  bound  tew  know  what  yer  did  with  yer 
game.  Yer  was  tew  beat  the  squire  and  me,  'all 
holler.'  Now  here's  our  proofs,"  producing  six  pair 
of  ears,  and  a  fox's  tail  ;  "  thar's  the  two  saddles 
of  venison  and  the  grouse  hangin'  under  that  tree. 
Now  we  want  you,  tew  show  with  us." 

"  We  haven't  got  any  thing  to  show,"  replied  Ned. 
4  We  only  killed  one  grouse,  and  eat  that  up  before 
night  ;  so  you'll  have  to  take  our  word  for  it." 

"  Sartin',  I'm  willin'  tew  do  that.  But  what  was 
yer  doin'  all  day  ?  that's  what  I  want  ter  know." 

"  Why,  hunting  for  game,  of  course,"  replied  Ned. 

294 


HAL'S  EXPLANATION.  295 

"  Wall,  the  woods  was  full  er  it :  why  didn't  you 
shoot  somethin'  ?  " 

"We  should  have  shot  it  if  we  had  seen  it,  of 
course,"  replied  Hal. 

"  You  see,  we  hadn't  been  out  more  than  a  couple 
of  hours,  before  Hal  looked  at  his  compass,  and  the 
needle  wouldn't  move  at  all ;  he  shook  it,  and  did 
every  thing  to  make  it  work,  but  something  was  the 
matter  with  it,"  explained  Ned. 

"  I  s'pose  you  didn't  slip  the  ketch,  did  yer  ?  " 
inquired  Sile. 

"  What  catch  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

"  Why,  the  ketch  that  holds  the  needle  up  agin 
the  glass,  tew  keep  it  from  wabblin',"  responded  Sile. 

"  I  didn't  see  any  catch,"  said  Hal,  producing  the 
compass  from  his  pocket :  "  the  old  thing  ain't  worth 
a  cent,  any  way." 

"  It'll  take  more  cents  than  you've  got  tew  buy  it, 
sonny,  or  use  it  either,  I  guess  by  the  looks,"  re- 
marked Sile,  springing  the  catch,  and  letting  the 
needle  loose,  which  instantly  flew  around  to  the 
north.  "  What  d'ye  want  tew  pint  straighter'n 
that?" 

"  It  wouldn't  work  for  me  that  way,  anyhow," 
retorted  Hal. 

"  It  would  if  yer'd  knowed  any  thing  'bout  it. 
—  But  go  on  with  yer  story,  Ned :  I  want  ter  hear 
what  yer  did  all  day." 

"  Well,  after  we  found  the  compass  wouldn't  work, 
Hal  said  there  was  no  use  going  any  farther  from 


296  CEOSSING   THE  QUICKSANDS. 

camp,  and  we'd  go  back.  We  weren't  a  great  way 
from  you  any  time,  because  we  could  hear  your  shots 
every  once  in  a  while.  We  wanted  to  get  back  to 
camp  alone,  or  we  should  have  answered  'em ;  and 
that  was  why  we  got  lost." 

"  /didn't  get  lost,  Ned  Brown,"  interrupted  Hal.. 

"  Then  why  didn't  yer  come  inter  camp,  when  you 
was  so  near  it?  "  asked  Sile. 

"  Near  it !  why,  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  queried  the 
boy. 

"  Why,  when  we  found  yer  trail,  it  was  less  'n 
half  a  mile  from  this  ere  camp." 

"  Less  than  half  a  mile  ! "  repeated  Hal,  looking 
very  much  confused. 

"  Yes,  less'n  er  half  a  mile.  Now,  if  yer  wasn't 
lost,  why  didn't  yer  come  inter  camp  ?  Sartin'  there 
warn't  no  use  tew  go  clear  down  tew  '  old  Pike's  ' 
camp,  just  tew  ask  him  the  way  back,  was  thar  ?  " 
inquired  Sile. 

"  Come,  Hal,  acknowledge  the  corn :  you  were 
lost,  and  you  know  it,  as  well  as  Ned  and  the  rest  of 
us.  It's  no  use  trying  to  dodge  the  issue.  Be  frank 
and  own  up  :  every  one  will  think  the  better  of  you 
for  it.  This  making  excuses,  and  evading  a  direct 
answer,  is  one  of  your  greatest  faults  ;  try  and  over- 
come it,"  said  I. 

"  I  didn't  know  I  was  so  near  the  camp  ;  that's  a 
fact,"  replied  Hal ;  "  but,  if  I'd  stopped  to  think,  I 
might  have  known  it.  I  don't  want  to  deceive  any 
one,  I'm  sure.  Now,  when  I  shot  that  cinnamon 


HAL'S  EXPLANATION.  297 

bear,  Dennis  tried  to  make  out  that  I  didn't  take 
aim,  but  I  know  "  — 

"  Never  mind  that,  Hal.  Were  you  lost  or  not, 
last  night  ?  Answer  the  question  honestly,  yes  or 
no." 

"  I  .suppose  "  —  began  the  boy. 

"  No,  no,  that  won't  do :  let  your  answer  be 
squarely,  yes  or  no,"  interrupted  I. 

"  Well,  yes,  I  was." 

"  Now,  Hal,  why  wasn't  it  better  to  admit  it  at 
once,  instead  of  contradicting  Ned  when  he  made 
the  statement?"  asked  I. 

"  Because  I  was  afraid  that  you  and  Sile  would 
laugh  at  me,"  was  the  reply. 

"  That's  a  coward's  reason,  Hal.  One  ought  never 
to  be  ashamed  to  own  the  truth  under  any  circum- 
stances. We  didn't  laugh  at  Ned,  and  we  should 
have  been  no  more  likely  to  do  so  at  you.  Think 
this  over,  Hal,  and  try  and  correct  it,  and  we'll  say 
no  more  about  it  to-night.  To-morrow  we  must  start 
for  Maverick's,  and  I  hope  you'll  be  on  hand  in  good 
season  in  the  morning." 

"  I  guess  we're  all  tired  enuff  tew  go  tew  bed. 
Ned's  bin  lay  in'  asleep  thar  for  the  last  half-hour," 
remarked  Sile. 

"  I  must  say  I  didn't  sleep  very  well  myself  last 
night,"  said  I. 

"  Nor  I  neither,  squire  :  too  much  on  the  old  man's 
mind,  kep'  him  putty  wide  awake ;  so  I'll  turn  in 
myself,  as  soon  as  I  see  to  the  critters,"  and  Sile 
walked  out  to  take  his  nightly  survey  of  camp. 


298  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

The  next  morning  we  were  up  bright  and  early, 
making  ready  for  the  road. 

"  It'll  be  a  putty  long  stretch  tew  old  Maverick's," 
remarked  Sile.  "  We  can't  git  in  till  late,  any  way, 
and  sha'n't  stop  fer  no  dinner :  so  yer  may  as  well  eat 
a  hearty  breakfast,  boys." 

"  How  long  before  we  shall  be  ready  to  start, 
Sile  ?  "  inquired  I. 

"  In  a  couple  of  hours,  I  guess,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Why  can't  I  roast  some  of  these  grouse  so  that 
we  may  take  them  along  cold,  for  a  lunch  ? " 
asked  I. 

"  That'll  be  a  fust-rate  idee,  squire.  Ther  boys 
can  pick  'em  for  yer,  while  we're  gettin'  packed," 
said  Sile. 

"  Oh  !  but  I  propose  to  roast  'em  feathers  and  all," 
remarked  I. 

"  Who  ever  heard  of  such  an  idea  ?  "  said  Hal,  who 
had  just  come  up  to  where  we  were  standing. 

44 1  have,  Hal,  and  eaten  many  a  bird  roasted  in 
that  manner." 

44 1  don't  want  any  of  'em,"  replied  the  boy ;  4l  be- 
sides, I  don't  believe  it  can  be  done." 

44  Very  well:  remember,  please,  that  you  are  to 
have  none.  —  Now,  Ned,  we'll  go  to  work." 

Ordering  one  of  the  Mexicans  to  replenish  the  fire 
with  plenty  of  short  dry  sticks,  so  as  to  make  a  large 
bed  of  coals,  I  selected  a  couple  of  the  plumpest  birds, 
and  carried  them  to  the  brook,  where,  after  properly 
removing  the  entrails,  I  made  a  thick  paste  of  clay, 


HOW  TO  COOK   GROUSE.  299 

with  which  I  plastered  the  birds  completely  over, 
leaving  this  covering  to  dry  a  little  by  exposure  to 
the  air. 

I  then  carried  them  to  the  fire,  and,  making  two 
hollows  in  the  warm  ashes,  completely  buried  them 
beneath  the  hot  coals. 

In  about  an  hour,  we  uncovered  and  removed  them 
from  the  fire,  when,  a  gentle  tap  with  a  stick  upon 
the  breast,  caused  the  clay  covering,  as  well  as  the 
feathers  and  skin  of  the  birds,  to  peel  nicely  off, 
leaving  the  flesh  as  plump  and  white  and  juicy  as 
the  most  fastidious  gourmand  could  have  desired. 

"  There,  Ned,"  said  I,  disposing  them  neatly  upon 
a  plate,  "  there  is  a  roast  fit  for  a  king ;  and  when 
you  eat  a  portion  of  one  cold,  to-day,  if  you  don't 
acknowledge  it,  why,  you  must  do  your  own  cooking 
in  future." 

"  I  didn't  believe  it  could  be  done,"  remarked 
Hal,  who  had  been  regarding  the  birds  with  a  watery 
mouth  ever  since  the  clay  covering  had  been  re- 
moved. "  If  they  only  taste  as  nice  as  they  look, 
they'll  be  pretty  good." 

"  Who's  to  solve  the  question  for  you,  Hal  ?  You 
know  you  declared,  before  they  were  cooked,  that 
you  didn't  want  any  of  'em,"  said  I. 

"  Well,  since  they  are  cooked,  I'll  change  my  mind 
and  try  them;  for,  with  all  my  experience  upon  the 
frontier,  I  never  heard  of  roasting  fowls  in  that  man- 
ner, before." 

"  That  statement  only  shows  how  limited  your 


300  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

knowledge  of  frontier  life  really  is,  Hal.  This 
method  of  cooking  has  been  practised  for  hundreds 
of  years  by  the  Indians  and  Mexicans.  I  saw  a  wild 
turkey  roasted  in  this  way  upon  the  lower  Rio 
Grande,  more  than  ten  years  ago,  and  never  ate  a 
more  deliciously  cooked  bird  than  that. 

"  The  Indians  frequently  prepare  fish  in  this  style, 
which  are  said  by  travellers  to  be  very  nice. 

"  So  you  see,  Hal,  that  by  disputing  statements 
you  may  hear  made  upon  any  subject  with  which 
you  are  not  familiar,  you  only  make  a  lamentable  dis- 
play of  your  own  ignorance.  No  one  person  is  ex- 
pected to  know  every  thing  ;  and  any  such  pretension 
must  of  necessity  subject  the  person  making  it  to 
frequent  mortification  and  chagrin." 

"  I  didn't  say  that  it  couldn't  be  done,"  remarked 
the  boy. 

"No;  but  you  implied  that  it  couldn't,  which  was 
quite  as  bad." 

"  Ned  didn't  know  any  more  about  it  than  I  did." 

"  Very  true  ;  but  he  said  nothing,  being  content 
to  wait  and  see,  before  he  pronounced  an  opinion 
upon  it." 

Our  conversation  was  interrupted  at  this  point  by 
hearing  Sile  shout,  — 

44  All  ready ;  saddle  up ! "  and  in  a  very  few 
minutes  we  were  once  more  on  the  road. 

We  met  with  no  adventure  worthy  of  record 
during  the  day ;  for,  under  Sile's  guidance,  we  forded 
without  the  least  inconvenience  the  stream  which 


ON  THE  KOAD.  301 

had  proved  so  disastrous  on  our  previous  crossing, 
and  about  dark  reached  our  old  camping-place  near 
Maverick's  ranch. 

It  was  so  late,  and  we  were  all  so  weary,  that  we 
did  not  notify  Mr.  Maverick  of  our  arrival  that 
night,  but  retired  early  that  we  might  get  tlwoughly 
rested  in  readiness  for  the  labors  of  the  coming  day. 

I  was  awakened  shortly  after  sunrise  the  following 
morning,  by  hearing  Hal  shout,  — 

"  Halloo,  Dennis !  where  did  you  come  from  ? 
Have  you  seen  any  c  pumels '  lately  ?  " 

A  minute  afterwards  I  heard  Dennis  respond, — 

"  Well,  begorra,  if  that  ain't  the  'Pache  bye  agin ! 
Ould  Maverick's  bin  a-lookin'  fer  yez,  this  two  days 
gone  bye." 

"  Here  we  are,  Dennis,"  said  I,  sitting  up  in  my 
blankets.  "  Has  Mr.  Maverick  got  the  cattle  up?  " 

"  Sure  he  has,  sir ;  a  hape  on  'em  too,"  was  the 
reply. 

"  How  is  Mr.  Maverick  and  his  family  ?  "  asked  I. 

"  The  ould  woman's  ailin'  a  little,  but  the  gal's 
all  right,"  replied  the  man,  winking  at  Hal. 

"  Will  you  tell  Mr.  Maverick  that  we  have  re- 
turned ?  "  said  I. 

"  Sure,  then,  masther  sint  me  over  to  ould  Escar- 
rito's  to  have  him  come  over  and  sae  if  he  could 
find  any  of  his  cattle  amongst  our'n  ;  and  he's  in  a 
hurry  too,"  said  Dennis,  remaining  quietly  seated 
upon  his  horse. 

"  Then  why  don't  you  go  along  ?  "  inquired  Hal. 


302  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Faix,  it's  the  ould  man  that's  in  the  hurry,  not 
me,"  replied  Dennis,  with  a  comical  leer. 

"  Have  you  lost  any  more  sheep  since  I  killed  the 
cinnamon  bear  ?  "  asked  Hal. 

"  How  the  divil  would  I  know  ?  It's  in  the  pig 
business  I  am,  wid  nothin'  to  do  wid  shape,"  was 
the  reply. 

"  I  didn't  know  but  you  might  have  heard  some 
one  say  something  about  it,"  suggested  Hal,  in  rather 
a  disappointed  tone. 

"  Ould  Maverick's  spachless  wid  me  about  his 
mathers  entirely,  so  he  is ;  and  it's  spachless  I'll  be 
mesilf  if  I  don't  go  afther  ould  Escarrito,  sure,"  said 
Dennis,  putting  spurs  to  his  horse,  and  galloping 
rapidly  away. 

He  was  scarcely  out  of  sight,  ere  Sile  and  Ned 
rode  up,  having  been  to  the  coral  to  inspect  the 
cattle,  which  they  reported  were  a  superior  lot  and 
in  very  fine  condition. 

Breakfast  over,  we  all  set  out  for  the  ranch, 
where  we  found  about  two  thousand  head  confined 
in  the  corals,  from  which,  we  were  to  select  the 
number  required. 

Mr.  Maverick  and  his  vaqueros  were  on  hand,  and 
in  about  an  hour  after  our  arrival,  we  were  fairly  at 
work.  And  now  began  a  similar  scene  to  that  de- 
scribed in  a  previous  chapter,  for  each  animal  pur- 
chased must  be  "  cross-branded,"  i.e.,  the  seller 
re-brands  upon  the  shoulder,  as  a  sign  that  his  title 
to  the  animal  has  passed  ;  otherwise  he  can  claim  it 


OLD  MAVERICK'S  RANCH.  303 

wherever  found,  it  being  felony  for  any  person  but 
the  owner,  to  destroy  or  obliterate  a  brand. 

During  the  course  of  the  day  El  Senor  Escarrito 
(Mr.  Maverick's  nearest  neighbor),  attended  by  his 
body-servant,  rode  up  mounted  on  a  splended  jet- 
black  stallion,  whose  flashing  eyes,  distended  nostrils, 
arched  neck,  clean  limbs,  and  ambling  pace,  at  once 
proclaimed  a  favorite  saddle-animal ;  for  these  old 
Spaniards  are  noted,  the  world  over,  for  possessing 
the  finest  saddle-horses  known. 

I  was  not  only  surprised  but  delighted  to  find, 
upon  being  introduced  to  the  gentleman,  that  he 
spoke  English  fluently ;  and  in  conversation  with 
him  I  learned  much  that  interested  me  concerning 
the  early  life  of  the  old  Californians,  which  I  have 
since  found  to  have  been  almost  identical  with  that 
of  the  Spanish  hidalgos  living  at  the  present  time 
in  Mexico. 

Indeed,  when  travelling  through  that  country  a 
few  months  later,  scarcely  a  day  passed  that  I  was 
not  reminded  of  incidents  related  by  Sefior  Escar- 
rito in  my  conversation  with  him  at  Maverick's 
ranch. 

"Ah,  yes!  you  Americans  have  destroyed  the 
charm  of  our  Californian  homes,"  said  the  sefior. 
14  Ours  was  a  simple,  quiet,  and  very  peaceful  life ; 
we  had  our  own  amusements,  our  own  habits  and 
customs,  and  were  undisturbed  by  the  commotions 
of  the  outside  world.  We  had  no  crime  in  the 
province  until  you  came,  nor  was  there  a  single 


304  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

prison  upon  the  coast.  A  traveller  might  ride  the 
entire  distance  from  Monterey  to  San  Diego,  with- 
out spending  a  cent  of  money,  and  yet  have  a  fresh 
horse  to  mount  each  morning.  Ah !  those  were  the 
days  when  a  man  could  enjoy  life  !  Such  magnifi- 
cent riding,  such  wonderful  feats  of  horsemanship, 
as  we  used  to  witness  at  our  rodeos  and  our  festas  ! 

"  But  those  times  have  passed  now.  'No  vaquero 
then  presumed  to  address  the  padrone,1  or  any  mem- 
ber ^of  his  family,  without  first  removing  his  hat : 
now  he  never  thinks  of  it.  Then,  a  traveller  could 
call  at  any  ranch,  and,  if  he  was  in  need,  borrow 
one,  two,  or  three  hundred  dollars  upon  his  simple 
word :  now,  the  only  thought  is,  how  best  to  rob  the 
unfortunate  cavallero  of  what  little  he  may  possess. 
Then  every  ranch  made  its  own  bread,  butter,  and 
cheese,  wove  its  own  blankets,  made  its  own  wine, 
dressed  and  tanned  its  own  skins,  and,  in  truth, 
provided  every  thing  necessary  for  the  comfort  and 
happiness  of  its  people :  now  our  people  are  no 
longer  industrious,  simple,  and  happy,  but  have 
become  lazy,  shiftless,  and  miserable ;  and  we  pur- 
chase our  necessaries,  from  your  American  stores. 

"  Ah  me !  but  since  you  Americans  have  taken 
possession  of  our  country,  Valgame  Dios,  how  every 
thing  has  changed!  You  have  stolen  our  cattle, 
killed  our  vaqueros,  robbed  us  of  our  lands,  and 
broken  up  our  families ;  you  have  introduced  new 
customs,  destroyed  our  simple  amusements,  and 

The  master's  title. 


CALIFORNIA  AS   IT   WAS.  305 

made  our  lives  a  scene  of  perpetual  warfare,  a  con- 
stant fight  to  retain  what  is  honestly  our  own. 

"  Our  churches  and  missions  have  been  turned 
into  jails  and  prisons.  Instead  of  the  thousands  of 
sober  and  industrious,  well-fed,  well-clad,  and  happy- 
Indians,  who  were  glad  to  labor  upon  our  ranches 
and  in  our  houses,  you  find  a  set  of  drunken,  starv- 
ing, naked  beggars,  who  are  a  curse  to  themselves 
and  to  every  one  else. 

"  It  is  you  Americans  who  have  done  this,  who 
have  ruined  our  country  by  forcing  upon  us  what 
you  are  pleased  to  term  '  your  civilization.'  ' 

In  this  manner  the  seiior  discoursed  of  the  past 
and  present  of  California  for  nearly  an  hour,  con- 
trasting the  country  as  it  was  previous  to  the  discov- 
ery of  gold  in  1849,  with  its  status  at  the  present 
time,  in  a  manner  that  reflected  but  little  credit  upon 
the  American  regime. 

So  interested  had  I  become  in  listening  to  this  na- 
tive's simple,  honest  complaints,  that  I  was  quite  un- 
prepared for  Sile's  announcement  that  the  work  was 
completed,  and  it  only  remained  to  settle  with  Mr. 
Maverick  when  we  should  be  ready  to  once  more 
take  the  road. 

It  was  not  without  many  regrets  that  I  bade  the 
seiior  farewell,  expressing  to  him  the  hope  that  I 
might  frequently  meet  as  simple,  honest,  and  true 
gentlemen  among  the  rancheros  of  California,  as  the 
Seiior  Escarrito. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE  MORNING  AFTER. ON  THE  ROAD. — NED*S  REQUEST. 

WHAT   CAME   OP   A   RED    BLANKET.  AN    EXCITING 

CHASE.  A  WONDERFUL  FEAT.  HOME   AGAIN. OLD 

JERRY'S   WELCOME.  —  A   NEW  PROJECT. — WHAT  JERRY 
THINKS.  TRUTH  STRANGER  THAN  FICTION.  ADIEU. 

"  TTTAL,  squire,  we've  got  as  fine  a  lot  'er  young 

*  *     cattle  as  kin  be  found  in  the  State,"  said  Sile, 
seating   himself  to   eat   his  breakfast  the  following 
morning.     "  Old    Maverick's    goin'    tew   send    five 
vaqueros  along  to  drive  an'  herd,  so  that  you  and  the 
boys  can  run  the  train." 

"  Why,  I've  got  to  go  along  with  the  cattle,"  re- 
marked Hal.  "  I've  got  my  sheep  to  look  out  for  ; 
besides,  I  know  I  can  do  as  much  as  any  two  Mexi- 
cans on  the  road." 

"  Like  as  not,"  replied  Sile,  helping  himself  to  a 
cup  of  coffee ;  "  but,  if  it's  all  the  same  tew  you, 
I'll  do  the  drivin'  myself." 

"  But  it  isn't  all  the  same,"  declared  Hal.  "  I 
want  to  drive  my  own  sheep,  and  I  mean  to  do  it, 
too." 

"  Wai,  now,  see  here,  sonny,  I'll  look  out  for  them 

306 


NED'S  ADVENTURE.  307 

sheep  myself.  I'd  rather  you'd  ride  'long  ther 
squire,  than  tew  be  botherin'  round  ther  cattle :  that's 
all,"  replied  Sile. 

"That  settles  it,  Hal.  You  must  ride  with  Ned 
and  myself,"  remarked  I. 

"  I  don't  see  what  the  reason  is  that  I  can't "  — 

"  The  question  is  already  answered,  Hal.  Sile 
prefers  to  attend  to  the  herd  himself,  and  that's 
enough,"  said  I,  speaking  authoritatively. 

"  I  think  I  ought  to  be  allowed  to  drive  my  own 
sheep,  anyhow,"  persisted  Hal. 

44  You  know  well  enough,  Hal,  that  every  time 
that  you  have  insisted  upon  having  your  own  way, 
contrary  to  the  advice  of  Sile  and  rc^self,  you  have 
made  trouble  for  yourself:  this  time  I  propose  to 
have  my  way." 

44 1  didn't  make  any  trouble  by  insisting  upon 
selecting  my  own  horse  at  Mr.  Hitchcock's,  did  I  ?  " 
inquired  the  boy. 

Just  at  this  moment  the  vaqueros  who  were  to 
accompany  us  rode  up  and  dismounted,  their  huge 
Spanish  spurs  clattering  like  cavalry-men's  sabres  ; 
and  in  a  short  time  our  animals  were  packed,  our 
horses  saddled,  and  we  on  the  road,  leaving  Sile  to 
follow  on  behind  with  the  cattle. 

Suddenly  Ned  said,  44 1  want  to  ride  back,  and 
see  how  they  get  on  driving." 

44  It  seems  to  me,  Ned,  you  had  better  keep  along 
with  us.  The  cattle  are  wild,  and  it  may  be  you'll 
get  into  trouble.  A  very  slight  thing  will  sometimes 
stampede  them,"  said  I. 


308  CROSSING   THE   QUICKSANDS. 

"  Oh !  I  only  want  to  see  how  they  drive.  I  won't 
frighten  'em,  and  I  sha'n't  be  long  away  either," 
remarked  he,  wheeling  his  horse,  and  galloping  back 
towards  the  herd. 

The  boy  was  right ;  for  in  a  very  few  minutes, 
happening  to  turn  my  head,  I  saw  him  coming 
towards  us  as  fast  as  his  horse  could  come,  followed 
by  a  couple  of  young  bulls,  whose  clean  limbs,  sleek 
coats,  and  long  horns  seemed  each  moment  to  be 
drawing  nearer  and  nearer  the  object  of  their  pur- 
suit. 

I  could  hardly  imagine  what  it  meant  at  first ;  and 
then  I  saw,  that  one  end  of  the  scarlet  blanket  which 
the  boy  carried  tied  to  his  saddle  behind  him,  had  in 
some  manner  become  unfastened,  and  was  flying 
loosely  in  the  wind,  then  I  understood  the  situation 
at  once. 

On  came  the  pursued  and  his  pursuers,  each  doing 
his  best,  but  the  bulls,  little  by  little  gaining  the 
advantage,  although  still  too  far  away  for  our  voices 
to  reach  them.  There  was  therefore  nothing  for  us 
to  do  but  watch  the  race,  which  each  moment  be- 
came more  exciting. 

The  pony,  as  though  aware  of  the  situation,  was 
using  his  legs  to  the  best  possible  advantage,  for  it 
seemed  to  me  that  his  nose  almost  touched  the 
ground  in  his  efforts  to  escape,  while  Ned  was  bend- 
ing in  his  saddle  until  his  face  was  nearly  on  a  level 
with  the  animal's  neck ;  and,  as  he  came  nearer,  we 
could  see  his  feet  working  as  regularly  and  decidedly 


A  KED   BLANKET   DID.  309 

as  the  walking-beam  of  a  steamboat,  as  he  thrust  his 
spurs  into  his  pony's  sides. 

Behind  him  the  bulls  were  running  like  deer,  each 
moment  becoming  madder  and  madder  at  the  sight 
of  the  red  pennon  which  Ned  unconsciously  was 
flaunting  so  valiantly  in  their  faces. 

At  first  I  had  felt  some  alarm  for  the  safety  of  the 
boy,  but  a  suggestion  of  Juan's  immediately  relieved 
my  mind,  and  now  I  was  rather  enjoying  the  sight ; 
while  Hal,  who  evidently  anticipated  no  danger  to 
Ned,  was  fairly  yelling  with  delight  at  the  spirited 
race. 

As  soon  as  Ned  came  within  hearing,  I  shouted, — 

"  Drop  your  blanket,  Ned  !  drop  your  blanket ! " 

The  boy  heard  me,  and,  turning  his  head,  discov- 
ered the  fluttering  scarlet,  and  at  once  comprehended 
my  meaning  ;  tearing  it  loose,  and  letting  it  fall  to 
the  ground. 

The  next  instant  the  bulls  were  upon  it,  trampling 
it  beneath  their  hoofs  with  loud  bellows,  and  expend- 
ing all  their  pent-up  fury  upon  the  innocent  object 
of  their  rage. 

Occasionally  one  of  them  would  succeed  in  raising 
it  upon  his  horns  for  an  instant :  then  there  would 
be  a  terrible  contest  between  the  two  infuriated 
creatures,  which  ended  as  soon  as  the  blanket 
dropped  to  the  earth,  when  they  again  brought 
their  united  efforts  to  bear  to  destroy  it. 

In  the  mean  while  Ned,  almost  breathless  from 
excitement  and  pale  from  fear,  had  ridden  his  pant- 


310  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

ing  pony,  whose  reeking  sides  were  fairly  dripping 
with  blood,  into  our  midst,  where  he  sat  gazing,  with- 
out speaking  a  word,  at  the  furious  efforts  of  the 
frantic  creatures,  whose  hoarse  bellows  of  rage  we 
could  distinctly  hear. 

The  boy  was  safe  ;  but  what  was  to  be  done  about 
the  blanket?  We  knew  that  if  it  should  be  left 
until  the  herd  came  up,  it  would  madden  them  to 
that  extent  that  it  might  delay  us  for  hours,  per- 
haps stampede  the  entire  herd.  It  must  be  removed ; 
but  how,  was  the  question. 

In  this  dilemma,  I  turned  to  Juan.  He  appeared 
to  understand  my  wishes  instantly,  and,  turning  to 
his  companions,  spoke  a  few  words  in  Spanish  ;  then, 
accompanied  by  one  of  them,  he  rapidly  rode  towards 
the  infuriated  creatures,  who  were  so  intent  upon 
destroying  the  innocent  cause  of  their  anger,  that 
they  paid  not  the  slightest  attention  to  the  approach 
of  the  horsemen,  who  rode  so  near  that  they  suc- 
ceeded in  grasping  the  maddened  bulls,  each  by  his 
tail. 

Surprised  and  bewildered  by  this  sudden  and  un- 
expected attack  from  the  rear,  the  creatures  appeared 
for  the  moment  to  forget  their  anger  at  the  blanket 
that  lay  trampled  in  the  dust  beneath  them,  and 
started  upon  the  keen  run  in  opposite  directions 
over  the  plain ;  while  the  third  Mexican  spurred  for- 
ward, and  hastily  removed  the  remains  of  the  offend- 
ing blanket. 

And  now  my  whole  attention  was  riveted  upon 


A  WONDEBFUL  FEAT.  311 

Juan,  who,  as  soon  as  the  bull  started,  rapidly 
wound  the  end  of  his  tail  about  his  hand,  tucking  it 
under  his  leg,  between  it  and  the  saddle. 

The  instant  his  well-trained  horse  felt  the  bull's 
tail  upon  his  flank,  he  increased  his  speed,  running  in 
a  line  parallel  to  the  bull,  until,  by  an  apparently 
slight  effort,  Jnan  was  enabled  with  a  sudden  twist 
to  fling  the  bellowing  and  now  thoroughly  frightened 
creature  heels  over  head,  upon  the  ground. 

It  was  as  fine  an  exhibition  of  the  vaquero's  skill 
as  I  had  at  that  time  ever  witnessed,  one  that  caused 
our  warmest  expressions  of  pleasure. 

When  the  surprised  and  bewildered  creature  so 
far  recovered  from  the  effects  of  his  sudden  somer- 
sault as  to  once  again  get  upon  his  legs,  he  seemed 
to  have  forgotten  the  blanket,  his  rage,  every  thing, 
in  fact,  save  a  strong  desire  to  join  the  herd,  which 
could  now  be  seen  approaching  in  the  distance. 

Juan's  companion  appeared  to  have  been  equally 
fortunate  in  his  capture ;  for  both  the  animals  were 
fast  travelling  towards  the  herd,  without  once  at- 
tempting to  look  about  them,  or  manifesting  the 
slightest  desire  to  ascertain  the  fate  of  the  blanket 
that  had  so  excited  their  ire.  Bancroft  Libra** 

As  soon  as  the  Mexicans  had  returned  to  the  train, 
and  we  had  expressed  our  admiration  at  the  wonder- 
ful exhibition  of  skill  we  had  witnessed,  I  turned 
towards  Ned,  and  said,  "  Well,  m}^  boy,  how  long 
since  you  determined  to  become  a  matadore  ?  " l 

i  A  bull-fighter. 


312  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

"  Why,  do  you  know,  I  couldn't  imagine  what 
made  them  chase  me  ?  I  was  riding  along  quietly 
when  I  saw  these  two,  who  were  a  little  to  one  side 
of  the  herd,  start  for  me ;  they  looked  so  mad,  and 
came  so  fast,  that  I  just  turned  my  pony  and  cut 
back  .as  hard  as  I  could  come.  I  tell  you,  I  was 
scared ;  and  all  the  time  that  old  blanket  was 
making  them  madder  and  madder.  It's  lucky  I 
didn't  know  it;  if  you  hadn't  called  as  you  did 
I  shouldn't  have  known  what  the  trouble  was,  or 
thought  of  stopping  them  in  that  way.  How  came 
you  to  think  of  it?" 

44  It  was  Juan's  suggestion,"  said  I.  "  You  can 
see,  from  the  skill  he  has  just  displayed  in  tipping 
that  old  fellow  heels  over  head,  that  he  has  had  some 
experience  with  the  creatures." 

44 1  saw  how  he  did  it,"  remarked  Hal,  who  had 
been  listening  to  our  conversation,  44and  I  don't 
believe  but  what  I  could  do  it  myself;  I  know  I 
could  with  a  little  practice." 

44  If  you're  going  to  practise,  I'd  advise  you  to 
commence  with  one  of  your  sheep,"  remarked  Ned 
in  a  jocose  manner. 

44  If  I  do,  I'll  know  enough  to  keep  my  red  blanket 
out  of  sight,"  retorted  Hal. 

44  Come,  come,  boys  :  this  kind  of  talk  don't  pay," 
remarked  I,  interrupting  the  conversation  ;  44  besides, 
I  don't  want  these  Mexicans  to  get  the  idea  that  you 
are  constantly  disputing  about  trifles." 

44 1  hadn't  any  idea  of  disputing,"  said  Hal,  44  until 


HOME  AGAIN.  313 

Ned  began  upon  me ;  and  then  of  course  I  had 
to  say  something,  or  he'd  have  talked  till  this 
time." 

The  boys  were  soon  good-natured  again,  and  rode 
along  beside  Juan  for  the  purpose  of  learning  the 
definition  and  pronunciation  of  certain  Spanish 
words  concerning  which  there  had  been  some  ques- 
tion ;  leaving  me  behind,  when  I  fell  back  to  ascer- 
tain how  Sile  was  getting  on  with  the  herd. 

Finding  that  every  thing  was  progressing  nicely, 
I  returned  to  the  train,  quietly  falling  in  behind  the 
boys,  who  were  earnestly  conversing  together. 

I  overheard  Hal  saying,  in  a  loud  voice,  — 

"  I  don't  eare:  I  promised  her  I  would  come,  and  I 
mean  to  go ;  and,  if  he  won't  give  his  consent,  I'll 
write  home,  and  get  father's,  and  then  he  can't  stop 
me." 

"  I  don't  believe  that  he'll  want  to  stop  you,  Hal," 
replied  Ned. 

"  Yes,  he  will ;  he'll  think  it's  a  foolish  trip,"  an- 
swered the  boy. 

"  Well,  I  can't  see  what's  the  good  of  your  going, 
Hal.  I  must  say  I  think  it's  a  little  foolish,  myself," 
responded  Ned. 

44  Of  course  you  can't  see,  but  I  mean  to  see 
Juanita.  She's  the  sweetest  little  girl  I  ever  met  ; 
and  I  made  up  my  mind  when  we  were  prisoners 
together  with  the  Apaches,  that  if  we  ever  got  away, 
I'd  go  to  Chihuahua  to  see  her  ;  and  I'm  going,  Ned 
Brown,  if  it  takes  a  leg." 


314  CROSSING  THE  QUICKSANDS. 

I  had  long  known  that  Hal  had  promised  to  visit 
Chihuahua,  and  had  more  than  half  made  up  my 
mind  to  make  a  trip  through  Mexico  myself.  I 
knew  that  the  journey  must  be  made  over  vast 
plains  that  fairly  bristled  with  Apache  spears, 
through  mountain  fastnesses  that  swarmed  with  wild 
beasts.  Yet  there  had  always  been  a  fascination  for 
me,  in  reading  of  the  land  of  the  Montezumas,  for 
the  possession  of  which,  the  Spaniards  had  risked 
the  loss  of  an  empire,  and  in  which,  so  many  brave 
cavaliers  had  yielded  up  their  lives  while  searching 
for  its  hidden  treasures. 

It  was  a  country  that  I  had  long  wanted  to  visit ; 
and,  as  I  listened  to  the  boys'  conversation,  I  sudden- 
ly asked  myself  the  question,  "  What  is  to  prevent 
my  going  this  year  ?  Why  not  take  advantage  of 
Hal's  desire,  and  accompany  him  ?  " 

I  thought  the  matter  over  during  the  afternoon ; 
and  in  the  evening,  after  we  were  gathered  about 
our  camp-fire,  unfolded  a  plan  to  make  a  trip 
through  the  Mexican  states  of  Sonora,  Sinoloa,  Du- 
rango,  and  Zacetecas,  to  the  city  of  Mexico  ;  thence 
returning,  visiting  Chihuahua  and  the  more  eastern 
portions  of  the  Republic. 

All  appeared  to  be  delighted  with  the  idea,  except 
Sile,  who  thought  that  old  Jerry  would  be  a  better 
person  to  accompany  us  than  himself. 

We  spent  the  evening  until  bedtime,  discussing 
the  subject ;  and,  although  the  trip  was  fully  deter- 
mined upon,  the  arrangement  of  the  details,  time 


A  NEW*   PROJECT.  815 

of  starting,  &c.,  was  left  until  our  arrival  at  the 
ranch. 

But  I  do  not  propose  to  ask  you  to  follow  us  step 
by  step,  through  the  remaining  days  of  our  journey 
home. 

Suffice  it  to  say,  that  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
fourth  day  we  came  in  sight  of  the  live-oaks  growing 
upon  our  own  ranch,  and  in  a  very  short  time  there- 
after, were  shaking  hands  with  old  Jerry,  who 
received  us  and  bid  us  "  welcome  home,"  with  a 
warmth  and  cordiality  that  left  no  reason  for  doubt- 
ing his  pleasure  at  our  return. 

Hal  and  Ned  were  as  happy  as  two  boys  could  be  ; 
and  after  visiting  the  corals,  and  shaking  hands  with 
every  vaquero  upon  the  place,  insisted  upon  extend- 
ing the  same  friendly  salutation  to  Jim  and  Carlo, 
my  two  shepherd  dogs,  who  were  nearly  frantic  with 
joy  at  again  beholding  us. 

Sile  and  the  cattle  arrived  a  few  hours  later.  Our 
purchase  was  critically  examined  by  old  Jerry,  who 
took  occasion  to  do  a  little  grumbling,  but  expressed 
himself  as  being  — 

44  On  the  hull,  putty  well  satisfied,  though  they 
was  a  leetle  small,  and  some  on  'em  hed  amazin' 
long  horns  ;  but  then,  you  couldn't  'spect  nothin' 
better  ov  Texas  cattle,  nohow." 

When  evening  came,  and  the  old  man's  camp-fire 
was  lighted,  he  brought  out  his  v4  painter's  skin," 
and,  stretching  himself  himself  out  upon  it,  prepared 
to  listen  to  an  account  of  our  recent  trip ;  but  the 


316  CROSSING  THE   QUICKSANDS. 

boys  were  too  full  of  the  future  to  care  to  recall  the 
incidents  of  the  past,  and  forthwith  began  a  recital 
of  the  plan  of  our  contemplated  journey,  ending 
with,  — 

"  Now,  what  do  you  say  to  it,  Jerry  ?  " 

Rising  upon  one  elbow,  the  old  man  looked  about 
him  for  a  moment,  and  then  said  with  a  twinkle  in 
his  eye,  "  Say  to  it  ?  why,  I  say  that  I  should  think 
the  hull  on  yer,  reckonin'  Sile  Carter  in,  hed  gone 
clean  crazy,  ter  want  ter  go  trav'lin'  off  inter  that 
country  that  don't  grow  nothin'  'ceptin'  mules  and 
greasers  and  silver,  and  is  as  full  er  Injuns,  as  thet 
'ere  dog  Carlo  is  er  fleas. 

"  I  s'pose  you'll  do's  yer  mind  ter  though,  but  I 
should  think  Sile  Carter'd  know  better  than  to  want 
ter  go  ;  "  but  the  old  man's  eyes  flashed  with  a  fire, 
and  his  face  bore  an  expression,  that  strongly  contra- 
dicted his  words. 

Having  delivered  this  opinion,  he  lit  his  pipe,  and 
remained  silently  listening  to  our  conversation  for 
nearly  an  hour ;  then  turning  suddenly  to  me  he 
said,  — 

"  Be  yer  in  airnest  'bout  goin',  jedge  ?  " 

"  Certainly  I  am,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Then  I  shell  go  with  yer,"  said  the  old  man. 

And  thus  the  trip  became  a  settled  thing;  and 
thus  it  comes,  that  in  a  future  volume  of  "  The 
Trail-Hunters' "  series,  I  shall  tell  you  some  of  the 
many  startling  adventures  that  we  encountered  in 
travelling  through  this  wonderful  country,  that  for 


ADIOS.  317 

many  years  has  furnished  the  most  perilous  yet  fasci- 
nating field  for  adventure  to  be  found  upon  this 
continent.  In  the  third  volume  of  the  present 
series,  soon  to  be  issued,  entitled  "  THE  YOUNG 
SILVER  SEEKERS,"  will  be  recounted  such  actual 
experiences  as  will  cause  all  who  read  them  to 
acknowledge  that  "  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction." 


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self from  his  own  works.     i6mo.     Cloth.     Illustrated.     Price,  $1.50. 

By  PROF.  L.  B.  MOWROE. 

HUMOROUS  READINGS  in  Prose  and  Verse.   318  pages,   izmo.   Cloth. 

Price,  $1.50. 
MISCELLANEOUS  READINGS  in  Prose  and  Verse.     352  pages,    izmo. 

Cloth.    Price,  $i  50. 
DIALOGUES   AND   DRAMAS,  for  Public,  School,  and  Home  Enter- 

ninments.     342  pages.     i2mo.     Cloth.     Price,  £1.50. 
"YOUNG    FOLKS"    READINGS,    in    Prose    and  Verse,   for     Home, 

School,  and  Public  Reading.     i2ino.    Cloth.    Price,  #1.50. 

By  GEO.  M.  BAKEB. 

THE  READING  CL  UB  AND  HANDY  SPEAKER. 
Being  Selections  in  Prose  and  Poetry,  Serious,  Humorous,  Pathetic,  Patriotic, 

and  Dramatic.  For  Readings  and  Recitations.  Edited  by  Geo.  M.  Baker. 
No.  i.  i6mo.  Cloth,  soc.  Paper,  150.  I  No.  3.  i6mo.  Cloth,  soc.  Paper,  150. 
No. 2.  i6mo.  500.  150.  |  No.4.  i6mo.  "  5oc.  "  150. 

THE  HANDY  SPEAKER. 
A  new  collection  of  choice  extracts  for   School  and   Home    Speaking  and 

Reading.     i6mo.     Cloth.     Price,  $1.00. 
HA ND  Y  DRAMA S. 
For  Amateur  Actors.     i2mo.     Cloth.     Price,   $1.50.     A  new  collection  of 

plays,  uniform  with  Amateur  Dramas,  being  the  sixth  volume  of 
THE  AMATEUR  DRAMA  SERIES. 

6vols.     Illustrated.     In  neat  box.     Price,  $1.50. 


1.  AMATEUR  DRAMAS. 

2.  THE   MIMIC  STAGE. 

3.  THE   SOCIAL  STAGE. 


THE  rXIIIBI  TION  DRAMA. 
DRAWING-ROOM  STAGE. 
HANDY  DRAMAS. 


By  LOOMIS  J.  CAMPBELL. 

THE  COLUMBIAN  SPEAKER. 

Consisting  of   choice  and  animated   Prose,  for  Declamation  and  Reading. 

Selected  and  adapted  by  Loomis  J.  Campbell  and  Oren  Root,  Jr.     ifamo. 

Cloih.     Price,  75  cents. 
PRONOUNCING  HAND-BOOK. 
Of  three  thousand  words,  often  mispronounced.     By  Loomis  J.  Campbell 

and  Kichard  Soule.    Small  410.    Price,  60  cents.     Scnool  edition,  price, 

35  cents. 

HA.N-DY    BOOKS. 

LITTLE  PIECES  FOR  LITTLE  SPEAKERS. 

The   Primary   School  Teachers'   Assistant.       16010.       Illustrated.       Cloth. 

Price,  75  cents.     Fancy  binding,  price,  60  cents. 
THE  MODEL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  SPEAKER. 
Selections  in  Prose  and  Verse.    Dinlo'xues  for  Sunday  School  Exhibitions* 

i6mo.    Cloth.    Price,  75  cents.    Half  bound,  price,  60  cents. 
POETICAL  DRA  MAS. 
For  Home  and  Public  Exhibitions.     Particularly  arranged  for  young  ladies' 

schools.     By   Mary   L.    Lobb.      i6mo.      Cloth.      Price,   75   cents.      Half 

bound,  price,  60  cents. 

*#*  For  sale  by  all  Booksellers  and  News  Dealers,  and  sent  post-paid  on 
receipt  of  price  by  the  publishers, 

LEE  &  SHEPARD,  43-45  Franklin  Street,  Boston. 

678  Broadway,  New  York. 


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